In The End
by Jaquelynn McKnight
Summary: {COMPLETE} Vash is Home and it's all over... Or is it?
1. Home Again

Jackie: AH! Welcome my friends, I'm writing another… Yes, yes, I know. FINALLY. I think the death threats in my email finally hit my head in the right direction to sink in. To those of you who don't know me, I also wrote a Knives x OC romance a while back. I kind of rushed through that one, and I'm hoping to take my time with this and crank up the quality. hears the relieved sighs HEY! That's not nice!

Anyway, this one is centered on Vash X Meryl, but I might add in a little Knives X OC. Everyone who has read Silver Wings knows I don't buy the Millie X Knives connection. I haven't made up my mind yet on weather there will be a Knives romance at all in this one. This fic is in no way related to Silver Wings.

Okay, so the grammar:

'_Telepathic speech'_

_Thinking_

Everything else is standard so if you don't understand... Ummm… I'll try to explain when you review or email me.

The Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun, I'm in no way profiting from this.

One last thing…. REVIEW OR ELSE… Or else what? Or else I'll cry and make pouting faces at you. On with the story.

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Chapter 1:

"Home Again"

"Meryl!" Millie squealed, "We hit water!"

As if the geyser of water spurting up through the ground hadn't clued her into that. Still Meryl smiled at the big girl and said, "Yeah!"

Everyone came out of their houses and businesses to play in the down pour. Meryl and Millie clasped hands and frolicked. Yes, she, Meryl Stryfe, was frolicking. She just knew he was coming back today. She just knew it.

_'OH MAN, I'm so thirsty!'_

_'If you hadn't shot me up so bad you wouldn't have to carry me, and you wouldn't be so thirsty now would you?'_

_'If I hadn't shot you up so bad you be racing toward the town to kill everyone'_

_'You make that sound like a BAD thing'  
'You're hopeless, I'm not talking to you anymore until you wake up'_

_'But that could be weeks! You know my body shuts down to heal.'_

_'Yep, I bet you'll be pretty lonely.'_

With that Vash closed the link. He was sure Knives would be pretty angry with him for that when he woke up, but somehow he didn't care. He couldn't wait to see his short girl again. Then he saw it; a huge eruption of water from the center of town. There was only one sight that could be more welcome. _Meryl…_

"Oh my gosh!" Millie squeaked, "Meryl… LOOK!"

"What?" Meryl turned and could not suppress the smile that lit her face.

Vash waved furiously and Meryl took off running. _He's here… He's really here… He came back!_

Vash would have run if it weren't for the weight on his shoulder. For just a second he thought of dropping Knives, but figured that even if he wasn't conscious he would find out somehow.

"VASH!" Meryl yelled as she ran.

"Short girl!" Vash called back to her.

Meryl closed in on him in seconds. He was surprised she could run that fast with such short legs. She threw her arms around him, and Vash was a little taken aback at her sudden outburst of affection. He had half expected to get a thump on the head and…

KAPOW!

Meryl thumped him on the head and said, "What took you?"

Yep, that was his Meryl. Vash rubbed his head and whined, "Hey! I travel through the scorching desert to get back here and that's the greeting I receive?"

"I told you to take the car and some water," Meryl lectured, "So I don't want to hear anything about walking or thirst. You brought it on yourself."

She looked at Knives, slung over Vash's shoulder. She took a step back and asked, "Is that… Is that… HIM?"

"Yep, that's my bro!" Vash said lightly, "I'm going to reform him, right here near the two kindest people I know. You and Millie."

Meryl blushed pretty pink. He loved it when she did that. All he could do was smile stupidly down at her.

"Well then," She said, "We had best get him inside."

It didn't take long to settle Vash and knives into Millie's room, and Millie made quick work of moving her things into Meryl's room. It was just like old times having the boys in one room and the girls in the other… Except that instead of Wolfwood they had Vash's crazed psycho brother. Meryl's head began to throb. Vash couldn't be serious. Reform a man who had been killing for over 130 years? It was hard enough for most people to stop chewing their nails. She looked down at the salty taste in her mouth and yanked her fingers from her lips. _I've been trying to quit that for years!_

Meryl chopped the vegetables for dinner. She had picked them just this morning so they were good and fresh. As she added them to the boiling water, the petit woman had no idea she was being watched.

Vash stood in the kitchen doorway leaning against the frame. As soon as he settled Knives he had showered and changed. His hair hung limply around his face and his shirt hung on his shoulders unbuttoned. His hands sat lazily in the pockets of his black jeans and his mouth was curved in a contented smile. He was used to being wounded, unlike his brother, and was only slightly aware of the pain as he watched his darling short girl toiling over dinner. This was it. He was home and it was over. He could finally love her.

Millie smiled down the stairs at Vash. Watching him watch Meryl made it all to clear that he was as smitten with Meryl and Meryl was with him. Millie hadn't doubted that, but she still liked seeing it confirmed. She was happy for them. Not wanting to interrupt the moment, she walked back into her room and sat down to write "The Millie Monthly".

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Jackie: That's all you get until you beg me for more! MUHAHAHAHAHAHA evil laugh continues for several minutes

Well, actually, that's all you get until I write the next chapter. I can make my writing SO much better if people would review or email me… HINT


	2. The Plot Thickens

Jackie: Thanks to Aine of Knockaine and KawaiiBabe14, my first two reviews for my second fic! I appreciate constructive criticism and good reviews! Chapter 2 turns on dramatic music

Disclaimer: checks real quick NOPE… Still don't own Trigun.

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Meryl didn't notice Vash watching her the whole time. As he watched he thought of the ways he could tell her in his feelings.

_You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen… And that means a lot 'cause I'm 130 years old! No…_

_I know I'm technically a jobless bum with a homicidal maniac as a brother but would you consider… No…_

_Hey short girl, wanna get hitched? No, no no!_

He shook his head with frustration and raked his good hand back through his golden hair. He glanced at his hand and dusted it off on his jeans. His hair was still slightly damp it seemed. He was there, Meryl was there, they were in the room together but not _together_. That had to be fixed, but how?

Meryl started humming that old familiar tune as she added meat to the vegetables and started to lightly season her creation. He loved her cooking and she was particularly good at making soups. She told him it was because it was practical to make soups. They lasted long and fed a lot of people on very little food. She was always practical, always planning, and she never missed a beat. Yet, she was also fun loving, and willing to do the 'impractical' to help, of all people, him. She was, simply put, amazing.

"I've got it!" Vash blurted out.

Meryl swung around with a slight squeak of surprise. Vash was too embarrassed about being caught to notice her eyes drop to his bare chest. Even with his scars he was magnificent. Meryl blushed and forced herself to look him in the eye. She was happy to see him blushing and staring at his feet still. He hadn't noticed her openly appraising him.

"You've got what, Vash?" Meryl forced out.

Vash blinked and looked at her. She was practical. He had to give her a practical reason to love him. He summed up him courage and looked into her lavender eyes. _Meryl, there are a hundred good reasons for you to love me… Okay, that's a good start._

"Vash?" Meryl asked, "You've got what? You said you had something?"

"I," Vash started, "I… I've got it! The best doughnut recipe ever!"

Meryl glared at him and shook her cutting knife in the air toward him. She growled as she said, "THAT is what you scared me half out of my skin for??? Get out of my kitchen! I am TRYING to make dinner!"

"Wow, SCARY," Vash eeped and darted out of the room.

Aggravated was what she should have felt, and she did. She wasn't aggravated at him though, she was aggravated with herself. He had just gotten back and already she was waving weapons at him. The way to a man's heart was to NOT threaten him with bodily harm. She growled at herself and started fiercely dicing the remaining ingredients.

_Smooth…_ Vash thought regretfully. He flopped down on the couch and stared at the ceiling. He was not even half way through his first day back with his insurance girl and he had already put his foot in it. He rubbed his head with frustration. He had spent his whole life driving people away. He had no idea how to make them want to stay.

'_You're thinking of that insect again.' Knives broke in_

'_I thought you couldn't force open links in your sleep state.'_

'_I'm not asleep. I figured if you could keep your body running while it healed, I could. I can probably do it better.'_

'_Everything is a competition with you.'_

'_You're changing the subject.'_

'_What Subject?'_

'_Your pet human. The short plain girl who follows you wherever you go.'_

'_Her name is Meryl.'_

'_Her name could be mud for all I care. I would ignore her presence if you weren't projecting such disgusting feelings for her.'_

Vash sighed ruefully. Knives was going to be a bigger job than he thought. Maybe it was best if he put his feelings for Meryl on hold until he was sure Knives wasn't going to be a problem. If only there was some way to… _That's it!_

'_Knives, how weak are you?'_

'_Why do you want to know?'_

'_Never mind, I'll just probe you and find out.'_

'_You wouldn't dare!'_

'_Why not, you think nothing of invading the thoughts and bodies of others. Why should I treat you any better than you treat them'_

'_I'm your brother.'_

'_Brace yourself… This might sting.'_

'_Vash, no don't-'_

Vash heard Knives scream upstairs. Probing a person's wounds was a lot like re-opening them with your bare fingers, but it gave a good gauge of how bad the wounds were. Knives may be able to communicate with Vash telepathically but Vash doubted he was capable of much else. Most of his energy was tied up in healing.

'_Bastard!' Knives cursed._

'_Now, now, you could have avoided that by simply telling me how bad your injuries are.'_

'_Are you satisfied now?'_

'_Thouroughly.'_

'_Then I'm going back to sleep.'_

Millie peaked out of her room just as Meryl glanced out of the kitchen. They had heard Knives scream as well. Vash smiled at them brightly and said, "Oh, don't worry. It's nothing."

"How could a scream like that be nothing?" Meryl said with a glare.

"It was just a brotherly spat," Vash said, "Really, it's nothing to worry about."

"Well, try to keep your brotherly 'spats' down to a dull roar next time," Meryl lectured.

"That won't be a problem," Vash chimed, "I'm checking him into the hospital tomorrow."

"You're WHAT?" Meryl and Millie both squealed.

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Author: And the plot thickens… So R&R PLEAASSSEEE. Pretty please with sugar, and syrup, and cherries, and… and bananas, and… this 'low carb' ice cream alternative. What? Okay, okay, real ice cream


	3. Checking In

Jackie: I write lots of setup but it's usually worth it in nice juicy plot afterwards. Stick with me. If you read it to the end and still don't like it I'll be glad to publish your flames.

Snwbnny, Kawaiibabe, and Aine of Knockaine, thanks for reviewing, good Vash x Meryl fluff coming up soon probably in chapter four. Hehehehe, a physical hospital of course. jab in the ribs LOL. Showing Knives insane humans probably wouldn't redeem us in any way though it might be funny. ponders I try to update once a day, but I'm a busy mother of two so I can't make promises.

Disclaimer: sob I don't own Trigun. sobsob

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Chapter 3

Vash wheeled Knives down the corridor after the nurse. She her nose stuck in clipboard of notes the doctor had scribbled out, and didn't seem interested in much else. Vash hoped she wouldn't miss the room. Knives had his chin down against his chest and was glaring at every person they passed. His eyes seemed to whip out of his head trying to glare at each person a second more without actually turning his head to look at them. He could have just glared at the nurse in front of him, but this way he got to glare at as many people as possible. Vash shook his head and sighed.

'_What are you sighing about? I'm the one who has to wallow in this human filth.'_

'_Just remember. If your powers come back tell me and I will remove you from here. If you hurt anyone, and I mean ANYONE in the slightest way I will shoot you up well enough to stick you here for the rest of your very, very, very long life. Clear?'_

'_You're disgusting. I can't believe you would treat a fellow plant this way. If you--'_

'_Just answer the question Knives.'_

'_It's clear.'_

"Here we are," The nurse said with a smile, "Room 14A. You're lucky. You only have to share it with one other patient."

"It would be LUCKY if I had my own room," Knives growled.

"Now, now, brother," Vash jeered, "You'd better play nice or I'll make her move you to a room with four or five bedmates."

The nurse smirked a bit and opened the door. She walked in and Vash wheeled Knives in behind her. She pulled back the light blue curtain and revealed a small hospital cot. She patted the bed to tell Vash to help Knives into it and fluffed the small pillow… Not that it helped. Vash heaved Knives into the bed and tucked the blanket in around him.

"There you go," Vash mocked, "All nice and comfy-womfy."

"You are going to pay for this," Knives said in a low vicious tone.

The nurse hadn't seemed to notice the exchange as she scribbled some more notes on the clipboard. She hung the clipboard at the foot of the bed and said, "Lunch is in about two hours."

With that she left. Vash was just about to a have a final word or two with Knives when a soft voice whispered, "Hello? Is someone there?"

Vash smiled and threw back the center curtain as he said, "HI!"

Even Knives paused at what they saw. Slender yet well muscled legs dangled out of the bottom of a hospital robe. The blanket that might have covered them had fallen on the floor. Her skin was almost as white as her bed sheets, and long delicate fingers laid crossed in her lap. However it was the upper half that caught their attention.

Her gown was opened almost too much to be decent to accommodate the mass of wires attached to her chest. Three monitors measured her heart rate, breathing and various other stats. A large pumping machine seemed to be breathing for her. Large grey eyes peered out of a face mask and, from the state of her long Chestnut hair, she had been there a while.

"Hi."

Her voice was a faint whisper and choked around the tube going down her throat. Vash frowned but Knives smiled openly at her suffering. _That should be the fate of all those wretched spiders._

"What happened to you?" Vash breathed out.

"Jealous boyfriend," She answered, "Filled me full of bullets."

"Why?" Vash asked.

"I sing at a local bar," She said, "That's how we met. He told me he didn't want me to sing any more. I said I'd rather be dead than stop singing. I guess he took me serious."

"That's awful," Vash said and patted her hand, "Are you going to be able to sing when you get better?"

"I don't know," She answered, "Depends on how much damage this tube does to my throat. Also, I can't go back to singing at the bar until he's found."

"He hasn't been caught?" Vash asked.

"Would you stop," Knives asked in his exasperated tone, "Do you think it's doing her throat any good to be talking to you?"

Knives didn't really care. He just didn't want to have to continue to listen or look at the human anymore. He had a privacy curtain and he meant to use it. Vash blinked and said, "Wow, I guess my brother is right. You shouldn't be talking."

"Twins?" She asked eyeing Knives and Vash respectively.

"Wow," Knives scoffed, "She's a regular Einstein."

The girl growled in spite of herself and Knives flashed her a smile. Vash jumped between the two and said, "You have to forgive him. They haven't given him his medication for the day. C-ya!"

Vash threw the curtain shut and sighed. Then he glared at Knives who was staring out the window. Knives smiled slightly.

'_If I must be in a room with one of THEM. I'm glad it's with one who is suffering so badly. Maybe she will know personally how much our sisters suffer.'_

'_You be kind to her or else!'_

'_Or else what? The arrangement was for me to not physically harm or kill anyone. You didn't say anything about being nice to them.'_

'_I'm changing the agreement. That girl has been through a lot.'_

_  
'Then I refuse. As soon as I'm able I will kill every last human in this town. You can fill me full of bullets again if you wish, but it will be too late by then to save them.'_

'_Can you at least try to be civil if you can't be kind? I'll visit you everyday to give you a break from them.'_

Knives looked back at Vash. The brothers looked at each other for a long time before Knives nodded his agreement. Vash was turning to leave when the girl spoke again.

"Excuse me," She whispered, "Are you still there? Can someone please call a nurse or get my blanket for me?"

Vash flung open the middle curtain and said, "Have no fear, pretty lady!"

She smiled faintly at him. She had learned better than to let herself laugh when she reopened two of the wounds in her chest a few days after arriving. Vash snatched up the blanket and tucked it in around her. She nodded her thanks and he turned to go.

"Wait, Vash!" Knives yelled after him, "You forgot to--"

But he had already gone. Knives glared at the curtains and then turned his glare to the woman in the other cot. This was going to be a long recovery.

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Jackie: Okay, I got some emails from my dear friends… whom I think OUGHT to be reviewing instead of emailing me. glares It seems my Knives x OC romance last time tickled their fancy so I am writing in a love interest for Knives too. Am I not generous? This is still primarily a Meryl X Vash story, and we'll be getting back to them next chapter I promise!


	4. Millie the Great

Jackie: WARNING Vash X Meryl fluff to follow. No flames since I warned you!

Disclaimer: Trigun… Um… I don't own it.

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Vash stopped at the flower shop on his way home. He had a real verbal battle with Meryl over taking Knives to the Hospital. He needed to smooth it over so he could get on to better things. Without Knives around he could finally get cooking with his insurance girl.

"What'll it be," The man behind the counter asked.

"I don't know," Vash answered as he looked over the selection, "They are so expensive!"

"It's not exactly easy to grow flowers on this planet you know," The man said absently.

"I know," Vash said regretfully, "Look, I have $$20. What will that get me?"

The man looked at Vash as if he were kidding. When he saw the desperate goofy look on Vash's face he shook his head. He turned around a selected some cheap baby's breath, a fern frond, a cluster of ivy, three small trumpet lilies and a single Star Gazer lily. He growled at himself and said, "Here, it's worth double that, but I can tell by the look on your face that you need it."

"Gee, thanks mister!" Vash cheered and handed over the money.

"Yeah, yeah," The man grumbled, taking the money and handing the arrangement to Vash, "I'm too much of a softy."

Vash smiled as he walked out the door and said, "There's no such thing."

The man blinked and watched the door close behind Vash. He smiled in spite of himself.

Vash nearly ran the rest of the way home. He couldn't wait to see Meryl's face when he presented the flowers to her. Just as his feet hit the porch he suddenly lost his nerve. He sat there for a while, staring at the door. He knew he didn't have anything to fear, Meryl probably wasn't even home from her waitressing job yet. He took a deep breath and walked in.

"Honey, I'm home!" Vash called out as he strutted through the door.

There was no answer. Vash saw a note on the table so he stopped to read it;

Vash,

I had to work a double so I won't be home until late. I came home to fix lunch, but you must have been with Knives at the hospital. I'm sorry for yelling at you about Knives. He's your brother, and you probably know what's best for him.

Meryl

Vash sighed and pulled out a pitcher since they didn't own a vase. He put the flowers in it and decided to settle in for a nice long nap.

Later that evening…

Millie came home first. She'd gotten a huge bonus that day and couldn't wait to tell the others. Then she saw the flowers. She smiled because she knew there was only one person who could have left them and only one person they could be for. It was about time one of them made a move. She stopped to smell the flowers and wondered if they would be enough to budge a stubborn Meryl. Millie wasn't gifted at manipulating people, but she figure she could help Vash out. Without a second thought Millie rushed into town to get the only alcohol she had ever seen Meryl drink, Kaluha and Irish Cream.

She returned with her purchases and a sad look on her face. _Leave it to Meryl to like the most expensive liquor money can buy. If I hadn't gotten such a large bonus..._ Still she decided it was worth it and poured a drink on the rocks with half of each liquor. She started to stir it just in time for Meryl to come in.

"Hiya Meryl!" Millie cooed.

"Hi," Meryl started, and looked at the drink, "What's up?"

"I got a big bonus today and thought I share some of it with my best friend!" Millie answered.

"Thanks," Meryl said with a smile, "But you didn't have to buy me flowers."

"I didn't," Millie said and handed Meryl the drink, "Mr. Vash did."

Meryl looked down at the drink. She normally drank this drink from a rocks glass and only drank one a night on those occasions she drank at all. Millie had used one of the big 16oz glasses. Was she trying to kill her? She looked at the big girl who seemed blissfully ignorant of the sheer amount of alcohol she was offering. With a slight sigh at how simple Millie could be, she started to drink. _I can indulge this once…_

Millie smile brightly as Meryl took a large sip. Knowing how little Meryl drank, it wouldn't be half the glass before she was stone drunk. Millie smiled and said, "I'll cook dinner!"

"Thanks again, Millie," Meryl said, "I'm really tired."

Millie went to work on a dinner for two, and smiled. She had no intention of being around to get in the way of the 'mood'. She giggled at herself. This was so much fun!

Later still…

Meryl looked down at her half empty drink through blurring vision then back up at the flowers. _Vash bought them… Why?_ She took another drink as Vash stumbled out of his room. Millie walked out of the kitchen and said, "Oh good! Mr. Vash, I was just about to come get you. Dinner is ready."

Millie faked a yawn when Vash and Meryl looked at her. She placed two plates of food on the table and said, "Oh my, I'm SO tired. I ate while I was cooking so I think I'll just go to bed now! Goodnight!"

Meryl and Vash both opened their mouths to speak but Millie was already in her room. Meryl looked up the stairs at Vash and he looked at her. Vash nearly stepped back with surprise. Was Meryl actually drunk?

"You okay, short girl?" Vash asked.

"I'm fiiiinne," Meryl cooed and slurred, "Millie got a bonus and she bought me a present!"

Vash tried to keep from laughing as he walked down and poured himself some Wild Turkey. He sat down across the table and said, "Well, I'm glad to see you cutting loose for a change."

Meryl sputtered as she laughed and drank down the rest of the glass in one gulp. Vash blinked and said, "Hey, don't overdo it, okay?"

"I knoOOOooow what I am doing!" Meryl said, "I'm a BIG girl remember."

This time Vash did laugh and he swallowed down his glass and poured another. Meryl Greedily ate up her meal and belched loudly. Vash's eyes snapped up to her as she covered her mouth and blushed bright red.

"Oh!" Meryl started, "Excuse me."

Vash started laughing again and forced up a belch of his own as he said, "URP, don't mention it!"

They both laughed and Meryl bounded up toward the radio. Vash looked at her curiously and she said, "I want some music. I wanna dance!"

Vash nearly fell out of his chair over that one. Meryl wanted to dance? Vash scarfed down his food and poured himself another while trying to keep his eyes on her. This he had to see.

Vash slammed it down as soon as she started moving. _Oh, god!_ He thought. The little girl could MOVE. As the beat went on she swayed her hips and rocked her shoulders in just the right way to make her little body seem OH so enticing. The rosy flush of her cheeks accented the seductive look in her lavender eyes. Though she never looked at him, he pretended she was. He also pretended she wasn't dancing because she felt like it. She was dancing just for him. He poured another down his throat.

Two dances and nearly a full bottle of Wild Turkey later Vash was up dancing with her. He wasn't much for this kind of high beat and gyrating but he was enjoying himself. Then a slow song came on and Meryl stopped.

"AWWW!" She whined, "A slow song. I can't dance to this!"

She was about to sit down when Vash caught her hand and said, "I can."

Meryl blushed brightly and looked up into his aqua eyes as he pulled her tightly against him. He would have given her a more proper distance normally but he had the confidence of Wild Turkey on his side! He smile down at her and began gently gliding her around the floor.

Meryl couldn't stop blushing. He danced like some sort of prince from a fairy tale. He was holding her so close to him that she could feel his heart beating against hers. She looked away, afraid he might see through her, afraid he might know how deeply she was falling in love with him.

"Th-Thanks," She said softly.

"For what?" He asked.

"For the flowers," She answered.

"You deserved them," Vash said.

"No I--" Meryl started.

Vash cupped her tiny chin with his good hand and titled her face up toward his. He stopped dancing and ran his free hand back through her hair as he said, "Yes, you did."

Meryl froze. He looked like he was about to kiss her. This couldn't really be happening. Then it occurred to her. What if he didn't kiss her? What if he never kissed her? She couldn't stand it! She thrust herself up on her toes and kissed him.

Vash was obviously surprised but he kissed back. She broke the kiss suddenly and shivered as she said, "I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm drunk and--"

Vash wouldn't hear another word of it. He grabbed her, dipped her back and started kissing her again. With her in this position, she couldn't get away.

Meryl's heart skipped a beat and she moaned softly into his mouth. Vash the Stampede was kissing her, and she wanted more. Feverishly she tugged at his shirt and that was all the encouragement he needed.

He scooped her up into his arms and carried her up the stairs to his room. He shut the door behind him with his foot. He set her down with one hand behind her head and one massaging the small of her back. He broke the kiss only slightly and said, "Oh god, Meryl. I've loved you for so long. I've wanted you for so long."

"And I love you too," Meryl answered.

Vash stopped and stood back from her, looking down into her lavender eyes. A thought suddenly hit him. He was drunk, and she was drunk. He knew he felt this way about her sober, but did she feel that way about him without a quart of alcohol in her system. He frowned slightly and pulled her against him for a hug.

"What's wrong?" Meryl whined slightly.

"I love you, I love you so much," Vash said, "But I can't do this. I need for you to be sober. I need to know you feel this way without the alcohol to coerce you."

Meryl was suddenly sobered by disappointment, but there was truth to what he was saying. Now that she thought of it, she needed that too. She started to walk towards the door as she said, "I understand."

"Wait," Vash whined at her.

"What?" She asked without looking back.

Vash climbed into bed and held open the covers. He blushed and said, "We can still cuddle… Can't we?"

Meryl turned around and smiled softly at the pathetic face he was giving her. She took off her cloak and said, "I suppose."

Meryl crawled into bed with him and curled up against him. As she fell asleep in his arms he thought he had never been so happy.

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Jackie: TA-DA. Meryl and Vash fluff, as promised! Stay tuned for chapter 5 folks! By the way, that's two chapters in one update. How much do you love me?


	5. Checkmate

Jackie: Chapter five… I don't believe there's any fluff in this one. Oh, come on, no pouting. You'll get some more fluff in other chapters, I promise.

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Knives woke up to the harsh glare of the morning sun peaking through the window. He grumbled and turned away from it. _Would it kill them to invest in a curtain? _

He opened his eyes slowly and looked across at the woman peacefully sleeping in the cot across from him. She was facing the sun, but that didn't seem to bother her. Her chest rose unevenly as the breathing machine pumped her lungs for her. The sun gave her pale skin a soft glow. He could tell by the paleness of her skin that she hadn't been active out in the sun for quite a while. He wondered just how long she had been there.

His eyes traced over the curve of her hip to her long legs. She had kicked the blanket off in the night again. Apparently she was a restless sleeper. He could see she had some muscle definition before she had been laid there, but much of her muscle had shriveled in her long stay in that bed. Even if she survived her extreme wounds, she would need massive amounts of physical therapy to walk again. Why, then, was she fighting so hard to stay alive? As much as humans talked about survival, most of them gave up at the first hitch of trouble.

Not her. His eyes narrowed to a scowl. _But she's still a worthless spider. She wouldn't even have made it this far without the food, water, and energy they leached off my sisters._ Knifes growled at the thought of it. _Suffer, human. Suffer long and hard, for no matter how long you suffer you will never know the suffering of my sisters._

"Good morning," she whispered.

Knives blinked at looked up into her large gray eyes. He had been too busy thinking to notice her waking up. He wanted to say 'What's good about it?". He was in a hospital cot that had cradled god knows how many diseased humans and he was too full of bullet holes to do anything about it. He forced a smile. He had made a deal after all.

"Morning," He forced out.

She smiled slightly. Even in her unkempt state she was pretty. Especially when she smiled… For a human, that is.

Knives sat up as the nurse walked in a delivered their breakfasts. From the state of the last two meals he received here he wasn't looking forward to this one. He lifted the warming lid and sneered. Burnt eggs, a brunt sliver of bacon, and, of course, burnt stale toast.

"You know," The woman said, "I think it was dead when they pulled it from the fridge. I don't think it was necessary to kill it again."

Knives blinked and looked over at her. Mira was her name. He'd found that out yesterday. Mira was holding her piece of burnt bacon like something that was rotten she tapped it on her plate and it shattered. Knives laughed in spite of himself. Mira smiled and said, "I'd like to say you get used to it, but…"

Mira pushed the plate away from herself and replaced the lid. Knives smiled and did the same.

"Maybe I can get my brother to bring us some food," Knives offered.

"That would be great," Mira said, "Thanks."

Knives looked on her smiling face and was instantly uncomfortable at how chummy he was getting with her all of a sudden. He snorted and looked out the window. _You are not going to fool ME, spider._

Mira frowned. Every time she thought she might actually enjoy some company from her new roommate he put up the brick wall again. She had known another man like that though. She knew she could break the barrier if she could just find out what he liked to talk about.

She looked him over now that she knew she wouldn't get caught. He was tall and incredibly handsome. She was free, and he hadn't had any female visitors. Right now though, she would settle for a little conversation. He didn't have to be interested. She didn't have any family, and most of her friends had stopped coming about a weak ago. She wasn't exactly getting better. She sighed and turn away from him.

Later…

"Hey bro!" Vash said as he entered, "I brought you something."

Vash placed a wrapped box on Knives lap along with a little metal lunch box. Knives immediately opened the lunch box. Four salmon sandwiches and two apples. Not gourmet by any means but far better than he was getting from the hospital kitchen.

"Two for you, and two from me," Vash smiled, "Open your gift."

Knives opened the box to find a brand new chess set. Vash smiled and said, "We used to play all the time when we were little. Do you remember how?"

"Of course I do," Knives growled, "Don't be stupid."

"Wow, sorry I asked," Vash said waving his hands in front of him.

It was at that moment Knives noticed Mira staring. She quickly looked away and rolled away from the two brothers, but her grumbling stomach gave her away. Knives sighed and tossed his apple and one of his sandwiches over on the bed beside her. Mira rolled back toward it and smiled. She would have said thank you, but Knives spoke first, "Now stop looking so pathetic."

"Knives," Vash scolded.

Vash turned to Mira and was amazed to see the food vanish down her throat in mere moments. Vash tossed her another sandwich and asked, "Don't they feed you guys here?"

"If you can call it food," Knives growled, "And that's one of YOUR sandwiches. This one is MINE."

Knives grabbed a sandwich and tore into it, daring Vash to protest. Vash laughed and said, "You can have it all bro. I'll get something to eat later. I had no idea they weren't giving you enough to eat. I'll make arrangements to have food delivered to you."

Mira was already done. She sighed and patted her belly. She smiled at Vash and said, "Wow, thanks. I haven't felt full in a long time."

"Don't mention it," Vash said with a smile.

Vash opened the chess game and set up the board. Knives always won, but Vash didn't care. Knives enjoyed it, and was usually pleasant while playing. Vash looked over at Mira who was staring at the board. Vash smirked and said, "Oh excuse me! Ladies first!"

Vash pulled out one of the food tables and set it between them. He put the board on it and Knives glared openly at Vash.

'_She's a human, she won't be good sport.'_

Mira moved.

Knives moved.

'_Give her a chance.'_

Mira moved, Knives moved.

'_Yeah, right, I could beat her in my sleep.'_

Mira moved, Knives moved. Vash looked at the board.

'_Um… You better watch yourself bro.'_

Mira moved, Knives moved.

'_Why it's not like she's any match.'_

Mira moved.

"Check mate," Mira said.

"WHAT?!" Knives said and looked down at the board.

It wasn't the four move checkmate Knives had learned when he first learned chess but it was a five move alteration that would have been hard for him to weasel out of even if he had been watching for it. Knives flung his legs over the side of the bed and feverishly set the pieces back in their places.

"Again!" Knives barked, "You won't be so lucky this time."

"Lucky?" She scoffed, "I beat you fair and square and I'll do it again."

Vash chuckled as the two squabbled. He gathered up the empty lunch box and left. Knives didn't even notice.

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Jackie: Good start on the Knives x OC romance? Bad start? REVIEW!


	6. Morning After

Jackie: Back to Vash and Meryl. I think mixing up the chapters like this will be fair to everyone. I've noticed that some are reading for Knives, and some for Vash. By switching up like this no one has to wait overly long to get back to the part of the story they are waiting for.

'blushes… a lot' Such great reviews! I have 13 reviews already. If I get ten more this fic will overtake Silver Wings, my first. That's just fabulous! Thanks, so very much for reviewing.

This is a short chapter. It's New Years day and my fifth wedding anniversary, so you'll have to forgive me on that one.

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Chapter 6

Vash woke up with a pounding in his head. He thought to bring his arms up to shield him from the light of the invading sun, but his good arm didn't respond. He looked down at it and smiled. It was tucked beneath his beautiful short girl.

Her head was settled in the crook of his arm, effectively cutting off all circulation to it, and her arm was lying across his chest. He wanted to move his arm, but cradled there beside him she just looked so darn cute and lovable. He did not want to disturb her. Besides, if last night had just been the alcohol, this would be the last time he would get to hold her like this.

Vash sighed and stroked his fingers back through her hair. He wished he had his good arm to do that with so he could feel the silky strands part between his fingertips. Lightly, and ever so carefully, he kissed the top of her head and whispered, "I love you, short girl."

"I love you too," Meryl mumbled back, "But MUST you call me short girl?"

Vash was taken aback. He would have been startled by the fact that she was awake if he wasn't far more shocked to hear what she was saying. He looked down into her sleepy lavender eyes as she tried to block the sun with her hands.

"Ohhhhh," Meryl groaned, "Did the sun get brighter or what?"

Vash smirked at asked, "Throbbing head?"

"Yeap," Meryl whispered.

"Here," Vash said titling her face towards his, "Let me kiss it, and make it better."

Meryl willingly submitted to his lips on hers. He had only meant to give her a quick breath of a kiss but as his head began to move back she moved on top of him to keep it going. He tried to speak, but when he parted his lips she used that has her opening to deepen the kiss. Vash moaned into her lips and wrapped his arms around her.

His good arm began to tingle as blood rushed into it, but he could scarcely feel that next to the electric pulse that seemed to be surging through him. His heart thundered in his chest and suddenly it became all too apparent that they were wearing far too much clothing. Vash tugged lightly at her shirt, and she rolled off him.

Vash looked up at her with surprise. She was already across the room at the door. Vash looked between her and his empty arms and whined, "Hey! That's not fair!"

"What?" Meryl asked innocently, "We haven't even had our first date. Don't tell me you expected any more than a kiss."

With that Meryl was out the door. Vash smiled at looked at the closed door for a while. He should have known Meryl wouldn't make this easy on him. He chuckled lightly as he thought he wouldn't have it any other way.

He got up a started to clean himself up. He had a deal to make good on with Knives.

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Jackie: fluff, fluff, fluff, more fluff to come between Vash and Meryl but not before checking back in on Knives. Believe it or not there will be some ACTION too. Stay tuned.

Inkydoo, Kawaiibabe, and Aine of Knockaine: Thanks again for reading and reviewing. I hope I can continue to crank out a story worth reading. 'AHEM' I do think, however, that certain persons who keep telling me to update ought to update their stories too.

Ajd262: 'blushes' Wow, how charming. Thanks for the great review, and I'm really pleased that you liked Silver Wnigs so well.


	7. A Change of Heart

Jackie: It's late at night. The kids, my hubby… Even my cats are asleep, and what am I doing? Working out, researching web service programming in JAVA, and writing fanfiction. Personally, I think sleep is highly over rated.

Chapter 7;

Two weeks later…

Knives studied the board with a scowl. Since he had learned to take Mira seriously as an opponent they had been evenly matched. This was fairly troubling to him since he'd had 130 years to get as good as he was. She insisted on making small talk during their matches, and through this he had learned that both her brother and her father had been chess champions before they were caught in the crossfire of a shoot out. That made him smile less each time he thought about it, which was equally troubling.

In fact, a lot of things were changing too quickly for his comfort. He was finding it easier to fake smiling, consideration, and his conversations with Mira were less civil and more chummy. He looked less forward to Vash's daily company, and more forward to being alone with Mira. He moved his piece and looked across the board at her.

She seemed to look worse every day. Even with the machine to breathe for her, her breath came in uneven gasps. She had lost much of her definition and daily sponge baths could not disguise her need for some real grooming. Her voice was less melodic and more of a harsh whisper. However, she had not lost her stubborn will and the light in her large gray eyes.

Knives couldn't understand why she wasn't getting better, and he took less and less pleasure in the fact that she was suffering. She was a gentle person. Knives found it hard to believe that she would have hurt one single person in her life time. That seemed a very bitter irony to Knives; the few redeeming members of the human race seemed to be those that were chosen to suffer.

Mira moved, "check… mate…"

Mira wiped some sweat from her brow. She had been sweating heavily for the past two days and no longer asked anyone to get her blanket for her. Her skin had become clammy, and she seemed to tire easily. Knives pushed the idea that she might die into the back of his mind.

Knives started to set up the board again, but Mira shook her head no. She laid back against her pillows and closed her eyes. She whispered, "Hard to breathe… Chest hurts… Tired…"

Knives nodded and put the game away. He laid back in his bed and decided to take a nap.

When he woke he touched his wounds, or rather where his wounds had been. He hadn't told Vash yet, and frowned at the thought of it. Why did leaving Mira here alone seem so horrible? Just then an alarm went off.

Knives eyes flung over to Mira who was convulsing in her bed and coughing up a thick white liquid into her face mask. Instantly it seemed the nurses and doctors were upon her. They flung the center curtain closed and Knives flung it open again.

"What's wrong with her?" Knives demanded.

"Mr. Knives," One doctor said as they were releasing the breaks on the wheels of the cot, "You are not related to her so I--"

Knives grabbed the man by the collar as the other doctor and three nurses wheeled her away. The doctor's crew was too busy to notice the scene that took place behind them. Knives lifted the man off the ground and said, "Tell me what is wrong with her! Where are you taking, Mira?"

The doctor punched Knives in the face. Knives was inhumanly strong, of course, but the fact that the doctor had done it shocked him to the point that Knives dropped him. Knives touched his cheek and growled, "FILTHY INSECT! HOW DARE YOU STRIKE ME!"

Knives drew back his hand to strike the doctor. The doctor did not flinch or cower. He stood toe to toe with Knives and said, "You are delaying me. If you care so much about her you should let me get to surgery so I can help her."

Knives twitched and something inside him broke down. It was like all the gears that drove him had come to a sudden halt. The doctor turned and raced after his team. Knives stood there, staring at where the doctor had been. Knives felt numb. For the first time in his very long life, he was powerless. There was nothing he could do for Mira, and he knew it. His best hope was the doctor, a human, who had struck him.

He began to shiver. His couldn't even make himself drop his hand. Knives just stood there, staring at blank space. Nothing in his long life compared to the anguish he was feeling. The picture of Mira thrashing in her bed, coughing and gasping for air, kept replaying in his mind. Nothing… Absolutely nothing had ever torn at his soul as much as the thought of her not coming back. Why did it distress him so? Could he be… In love? With a human?

Knives found his mobility restored, but he felt so heavy. It was like his weight had somehow doubled. He walked over to his bed and sat down hard. He stared at the dust ring around the empty rectangle were her cot had been. For the first time in 130 years, he cried.

Later…

It was dark when Knives opened his eyes. Vash was sitting in a chair beside him watching him with a curious look on his face. Vash smiled softly and asked, "You okay bro?"

Knives looked over to where Mira's cot should be and found that they had not yet brung her back. Knives whimpered, "No."

Vash's eyes went wide with shock. He had never heard Knives whimper. Knives didn't look at Vash as he said, "Bring her back… I'll do anything you want if you just bring her back."

Vash shot up like spring weeds and gaped at his brother. Vash rubbed his eyes, pinched himself and then checked Knives for a fever. Vash sat down hard and said, "It true. You said it. Is that why you were crying in your sleep? Because of Mira?"

Knives turned his head in shame. This was not what he needed right now, but he knew he deserved it. He braced himself for what he knew Vash would say. _I told you so. Humans deserve a chance. Now it's your turn to see what you have put me through. Now it is your turn to watch someone you love die._

But those words never came. Vash grabbed Knives by the shoulders and hugged him like Knives had done for Vash when they were younger. Knives couldn't control himself, and he sobbed into Vash's chest. Vash cradled his twin like that for several moments and then moved away, handing his brother some tissue. Knives nodded his thanks.

Both brothers turned to the door as they heard the creaking sound of rusty wheels. An old motherly-looking nurse wheeled Mira in, followed by a young female doctor still in her surgery scrubs.

The doctor worked her pen feverishly across the paper on her clipboard and then hung it at the foot of Mira's bed. She was about to leave when Knives asked, "How is she? Where are the doctors that took her this afternoon?"

"The surgery took four doctors and eight hours to complete," She answered, "All of her wounds were severely infected. One of them had nearly filled her right lung with puss. It no wonder she hadn't been getting any better."

"Is she going to be alright?" Knives asked.

"I don't know," The doctor answered, "We suctioned out most of her wounds and cut away a large amount of dead tissue. In the process of the surgery she lost a lot of blood. We are starting her on a broad spectrum antibiotic to fight the infections, but your guess is as good as mine."

Knives nodded and the doctor left with the nurse. Knives no longer cared that Vash was there watching him. Knives stood up and walked over to Mira. With trembling hands Knives brushed back her chestnut hair. He nearly began to cry again as he said, "You are going to make it, because you are too stubborn to give up. As mean as I was to you when I first came here, you kept pressing. You didn't give up on me, and you will NOT give up on yourself or so help me I'll… Please, Mira, please don't give up."

Vash walked over and put his hand on Knives's shoulder. Vash gave it a little pat as he said, "I'm sure she'll make it, bro. If she can change you, she can do anything."

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Jackie: And… GOODNIGHT!


	8. A Twist

Jackie: I ALWAYS finish my stories. Have no fear. Millie and Wolfwood?... 'Tries to look innocent' I don't have ANY plans for them. 'Whistles innocently'.

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Chapter Eight;

Vash came in and dumped Knives's laundry in the basket. Then he went upstairs to collect some clean clothes for him. Knives was checked out of the hospital three days prior but he refused to leave Mira's side. When Vash had everything packed up he headed down to the kitchen to see what was for lunch.

Meryl was amazing as always. A warm plate of cheese and pasta with a freshly baked roll was waiting on the table of Vash beside a packed lunch for Knives and Mira. Meryl flew past him saying, "I'm running late!"

"We still on for tonight?" Meryl asked from the doorway.

"Sure thing, hottie," Vash said with a wink.

Meryl blushed and disappeared out the door. Vash smiled after her and sat down to eat his lunch. Meryl and the big girl were doing so much for him and his brother. He only hoped they could repay the girls when this was all over. Greedily he ate up his lunch and headed back to the hospital. He had a few stops to make on the way.

Vash stopped by the flower shop and ordered a single rose to be delivered to a table he had reserved for tonight at exactly 6pm. From there he stopped by the tailor to see if his new clothes would be ready in about two hours for pick up. His final stop was a jeweler who was creating a custom piece just for Meryl. Millie had come up with the money for it all. Vash inwardly thanked the big girl again. He arrived at the hospital at 1pm.

Mira and Knives were playing chess again. She had woken up the day before, and the doctors felt like she was improving. You couldn't tell looking at her though. It was obvious the long stay and severe wounds had taken a large toll on her. Vash set the lunch box in Mira's lap and said, "How are you doing, pretty lady?"

"Better everyday," Mira whispered.

"The doctors think she's going to make it," Knives added, "In only three days she's made great improvement."

Knives seemed to puff up with pride over his last statement. Mira blushed slightly and busied herself with rummaging through the lunch box. Vash smiled a secretive smile. Mira didn't know yet how fond Knives was of her, but he was sure that the feeling was mutual.

"Well," Vash said, "I have to go."

"Wait," Knives said as he got up.

Knives pulled Vash outside the room and closed the door. Knives looked like he was considering something very carefully. He looked at Vash seriously and said, "You need to go to my hideout."

"What?" Vash sputtered.

"The last of my army has dissolved," Knives said tapping his head, "I've been keeping tabs on them. You must go there there's… There is something I took from you there."

"Something you took from me?" Vash asked darkly.

"Yes, something you'll be wanting back," Knives said as a nurse passed by.

As a precaution Knives opened a link to Vash and said, '_Look, I know you have no reason to trust me, but you must do this.'_

'_What are you talking about?'_

'_For once could you just do what I ask?'_

Vash looked long and hard on his twin. Knives was good at fooling people, especially his brother. Could everything Knives had done, everything he seemed to feel for Mira, be another lie? Vash studied him for several moments and then remembered the desperate sound in his brother's voice, and the tears in his deep blue eyes. Vash nodded slowly.

'_I'll need to tell Meryl and…'_

'_NO! You can't take them with you. I don't want them to see that place. When I'm done here I plan to destroy it.'_

'_They already know what you've done. Why should it matter if they see--'_

'_Absolutely not!'_

'_Okay, okay, on one condition.'_

'_Yes, what?'_

'_Swear to me on Mira's life that it isn't a trap.'_

'_I swear.'_

That had been easy. Knives didn't even flinch. Vash's instincts screamed at him, but he nodded to his brother. Vash turned to go and Knives sent a final message.

'_It's in the plant room. Beside it is an old desk. Take it and the contents of the top, middle drawer of the desk.'_

'_okay.'_

Knives went back into the room with Mira and Vash walked slowly out of the hospital. He wasn't looking forward to canceling his date with Meryl.

Knives sat down beside Mira and asked, "Whose move is it."

"Yours," Mira answered.

Knives was reaching for his knight when the delivery wagon rolled up. It delivered flowers and chocolates to people who had friends who were kind enough to arrange it. It never stopped for Mira, so both Knives and Mira were quite surprised.

"Miss Mira McClintock?" The cheery young man asked.

"That's me," She answered.

The boy handed her a box of cordial cherries and a card. She blinked and said, "Well, cordial cherries are my favorite but who?"

Knives shrugged his shoulders and Mira opened the card. Mira's entire expression immediately changed. She crumpled up the card and threw the box of chocolates violently across the room. She turned away from Knives and said, "Go away."

"What?" Knives asked with surprise.

"I said GO AWAY!" Mira barked, "I want to be alone."

Knives blinked. He didn't know what else to do so he got up and shut the curtain. He sat down across the room and looked down at the crumbled card. It was wrong to read it, wasn't it? But he felt compelled. He snatched of the crumpled card and went out into the hallway. He closed the door to Mira's room and sat down. Knives pressed the card as flat as he could and opened it.

**I see that you are still alive, and you have a little puppy guarding you. I'm glad you lived because now I can really make you pay. He can't protect you forever.**

That was all it said. Knives boiled with rage. How dare anyone threaten his Mira! Bloody coward of an insignificant spider! He would pay! Knives crumpled the card back up and stormed back into Mira's room. He flung back the curtain and stood there, staring at her.

Mira blinked and looked up at him. She had never seen Knives look so fierce. The raw intensity surrounding him amplified his good looks ten fold. His deep blue eyes stared into her, and she fought the urge to cover herself. He made her feel so… exposed. Still she matched him, stare for stare.

"He's never going to hurt you again," Knives said darkly, "He's wrong. I CAN protect you forever, and I will. If he steps within an ile of you that will be the last step he takes. I promise you that."

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Jackie; da, da, DAAAAAA! I like this chapter.


	9. Eden

Jackie; Well, I'm going to have to go a little out of order and go back to Vash again. I hope no one minds! Thanks again for all the great reviews. 20 reviews cheers four more and I will overtake Silver Wings.

Disclaimer; Use your popdown scrolling selection frame, select chapter one and refer to my original disclaimer.

Chapter Nine;

Vash growled to himself again, reminding himself for the fourth time in less than an hour to have STRONG words with Knives. The wind whipped by and sandblasted his face, and his long duster did little to keep the dust out of particularly grating areas. Just over the next rise was his destination: Eden.

Vash had never been there. He had only seen flashes of it in his mind whenever Knives let him. From what he had seen he knew it was a green place, and he was somewhat uncertain as to why Knives would want to destroy it. He climbed over the next rise and openly gaped at what he saw.

Humidity suddenly dampened the air, and as Vash descended the slope it got thicker. Though Knives had said that the area had been abandoned, Vash gripped his gun and readied himself for anything.

His feet fell softy on plush green grass, and all around him were fruit trees and shrubs. He could hear the trickle of a small stream and all around him were every manner of butterfly. He walked slower, taking it all in. _I can't believe Knives did THIS._ Knives hadn't lied about perfecting his powers while Vash ran from what he was.

Vash almost regretted arriving at the front entrance. He keyed in the access code that Knives had gave him and the door slid open. Vash froze and trembled with disgust. No wonder Knives hadn't wanted the girls to come here.

Lining the walls of the front hall were the withered corpses of several hundred humans. Men, women and children of all races nearly wallpapered the hall. They had all been cut into in some way and had been altered in some fashion. Apparently Knives thought it was fair game to experiment on humans to whatever ends he saw fit. Vash nearly turned around to leave, but he knew he had to go in.

Vash's gut churned as the smell of preserving fluids hit him. He tried not to look at the walls. He just had to keep moving. He had to get to the end of the hall. When Vash got there, a mere 20 eels, he opened the door and threw himself through it. With the door closed behind him he slid down against it and cried. _Dear god, Knives, what were you thinking?_

After a good long cry, Vash continued. He encountered no resistance as he made his way through the abandoned base. Finally he was there, standing at a console that blinked and flickered, waiting for the access code that would open the door to the plant room. Vash entered it.

Vash was nearly floored once again. He had seen pictures of the plant room, but pictures rarely grasped the magnitude of things. As high up and far down as he could see the cylindrical room was lined with plant bulbs. A small stair case led to a walkway extended out toward the middle of the room, hovering over empty air. He didn't need to go there. He needed what was on the doughnut shaped platform he was already standing on. To the far left in an empty space on the wall was a desk and…

_A stasis tube?_

A slight mist had covered the stasis tube, obscuring any view of who might be in there. Vash collected the brown envelope that was in the drawer where Knives said it was. He considered the tube for a long time. _Something he took from me?_ Who might be in it? Several thousand friends had been taken by Knives; did Vash dare to hope that it was Rem?

Trembling slightly, Vash entered the proper sequence to stop hibernation and re-animate the person inside. Slowly the hatch swung open, and Vash nearly wept yet again.

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Jackie; you didn't really think I was going to tell you who was in there right away did you? 'Evil laugh'


	10. Setting The Stage

Jackie: 'smirking maliciously' Nope, still not telling you who was in the tube. This chapter is primarily setup. Just a warning.

26 reviews! 'cheers' YAY I've beaten Silver Wings! Thank you inkydoo, Aine, Ajd, and Kawaii! 'hands out ice cream and some off her famous deluxe sugar cookies'

Disclaimer: Vash is MINE. MINE, MINE, MINE! Well, no, not really. I wish he was, but sadly I do not own Vash or any part of Trigun.

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Chapter 10

Knives helped Mira check out of the hospital and they made their way to a car that had been parked outside for some time. Knives put her small bag into the back seat and opened the door for her, dusting off the passenger's seat before she sat on it. He climbed into the driver's side and started the car. Mira had told him earlier that day where she lived.

It was strange the first time he heard her speak without a tube down her throat. Her voice was horse from the experience but the doctors felt comfortable that it would recover. There she was, with only minor remaining wounds, and prescription for oral antibiotics. She was finally going to get to go home, and Knives was more than willing to go home with her.

"Thank you for driving me home," Mira said softly, looking away from him.

"The doctor said you would need time to master walking again," Knives said, "There was no way you could have driven yourself."

"Still, I want to thank you," She said again as Knives started the car.

"I'm happy to do it," He said.

They drove out of the south exit of town and kept going for about three iles. Then they came upon the entrance to what had once been a great ranch. It was obvious that no one had cared to take care of it in her absence. She sighed ruefully, and Knives scowled in spite of himself.

"He took everything," She started, "He took all my animals. I just hope all the hands got away unharmed"

"If I can, I'll get them back," Knives said darkly.

"We already discussed this," She said harshly, "You are not sticking around to protect me, and you are NOT going to go looking for trouble. My ex-boyfriend is… A very powerful man. Besides I have my singing to fall back on."

"I wish you would tell me who he is," Knives said as he stopped the car outside of her front door.

"Not a chance," She said with a hint of a smirk.

Knives used her keys to open the front door for her and took her bag inside. Mira moved slow and shaky on trembling legs. She frowned and tried to remind herself that that was pretty darn good after what she had been through. She sighed as she looked over her now dust covered house. Then a smile graced her lips. In spite of everything she was just happy to be home.

"A shower," She said to herself, "It will feel so good to take a shower."

"Do you need help?" Knives said with a small smirk.

Mira blinked at this. Over the past two days Knives had been flirting with her. She wanted to believe that even in her current state he found her attractive, but she was convinced he was merely kidding with her. She shook her head no and walked into her bathroom.

Knives sat down on her plush couch and coughed at the dust plume that instantly rose out of it. He waved his hands in the air in an attempt to fan it away and only managed to kick up more dust. He frowned and tried not to move. He listened to the water running in the bathroom for nearly 30 minutes. He was beginning to become concerned when he heard it shut off. A few moments later Mira came out of the bathroom wrapped in a fluffy white robe. Knives stared at her.

Her long legs were only visible to her knees but he knew all to well what they looked like. For some reason, not being able to see them was enticing. He wanted to remove the thing that obscured them from his view. The robe dipped almost as low as her hospital gown had, showing just a hint of the soft round mounds of her breasts. She was gently brushing her hair when she said, "I don't think I have much to eat around here that won't have spoiled. I'm going to have to go into town for some supplies."

"I already arranged for some friends to do some shopping for you," Knives said, the word 'friends' was new to him.

Mira's arms dropped and she turned toward her bedroom. She was not accustomed to people doing things for her. It had her… Off guard to say the least. She looked back for just a moment and said, "Thank you again."

Mira sat down at her vanity. Her legs were already tired. She rubbed them slightly to work out the kinks. She frown at how much weight she had put on, and told herself that it could not have been helped. She wondered if any of her clothes would fit. She frowned at herself in the mirror, her skin and hair had taken a beating too. She opened all the drawers in her vanity and went to work.

An hour later Knives was still waiting for her to come back out. He must be insane, waiting patiently for a human female. Somehow he just didn't care. If madness was a place where Mira loved him, Knives was ready to become a full fledged tax paying citizen of the state of insanity. Knives was broken from his thoughts as a knock came at the front door. Since the hostess was still MIA, that left him to answer the door.

Meryl and Millie came barreling in over top of him with bags of groceries in tow. Meryl and Mille put the groceries down and started looking around feverishly. Neither of them had met Mira yet, and they seemed eager to.

"Alright," Meryl started, "Where is this, Miss Mira?"

"She's been freshening up for over an hour," Knives groaned.

Meryl jabbed his right shoulder and asked, "What do you expect? From what I've heard she's been through hell. She's probably enjoying some luxury for a change."

Vash's little human really had a way of getting on Knives's nerves, but since meeting Mira he had learned to curb his temper. He gathered the groceries and said, "Yeah, that must be it."

"So are you staying here, Mister Knives?" Millie asked.

Just then Mira came out of her room. She wore simple grey sweats rolled down at the waistband so that they hung on her ample hips. She wore a red half t-shirt which she was tugging on slightly as if she could make it longer. Knives couldn't understand for all the world why she was trying to cover up.

Her chestnut hair was pulled up into a simple pony tail, but it had been brushed until it shined and her face had a young radiant glow. She frowned a bit as she continued to tug at her shirt.

"I'm not used to being so out of shape," She mumbled, "I don't own anything that isn't revealing."

Knives pulled her hands away from her shirt which immediately grabbed her attention. Her eyes flung up to his as he said, "Stop that, you're beautiful."

"AWWWW," Both insurance girls squealed.

Mira seemed oblivious to what was really going on in that gesture. Knives glared at the two girls who shrank back slightly, and he smirked. He looked back at Mira and said, "To answer your question, Millie, I'm staying if she likes it or not."

"We already talked about this and --" Mira started.

"You don't honestly expect me to leave you here alone?" Knives interrupted, "If you kick me out I am just going to camp outside."

Knives looked out the window and rubbed his arms for emphasis. He looked back at Mira and said, "It is dreadfully cold outside. You wouldn't want me to catch a cold would you?"

Mira opened her mouth to protest but Meryl got the first word out, "Well it's settled then, see ya!"

Meryl pushed Millie out the door before Mira could get in a word.

"Hey!" Mira called out and the door clicked shut. She looked at Knives and asked, "Your friends are as pushy as you are."

Knives smiled and opened her small bag pulling out the chess board. He thanked the short girl for being so perceptive and pulled out the chess board. He waved it playfully in front of her and said, "Might as well make the best of it."

Mira smiled.

……………………………..

Jackie: Lots of setup. I swear it has a point!


	11. Pieces in Motion

Jackie: Let the games begins!

Chapter 10;

Two weeks later…

Mira, Knives, Meryl, and Millie sat at a table with the saloon owner, Sal. Sal rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said, "I don't know Mira. You've been gone a long time and that nut boyfriend of yours is still at large. Even if I believed you were ready to come back, I don't want any trouble."

Knives fingers flexed beneath the table. He knew how much Mira wanted this. Since she got home she had worked out everyday to get her strength back, and he could hear her practicing her singing in her room late at night. He hadn't dared to say no to her when she said she wanted to try after only two weeks. He glared across the table at Sal. _If you know what's good for you, little spider…_

"I know, Sal," Mira said, "But he hasn't been seen in almost as long as I've been gone. He's probably picked up and left. The sheriff has people looking for him everywhere. He wouldn't stick around with that kind of heat."

Sal, rubbed his chin again. It was a nervous reflex from way back when he had grown a beard. He'd shaved it off because it was too hot, but the habit remained. He looked around his empty saloon. Business had gotten slower and slower since Mira left, and she did have a point. No one had seen him in well over 3 months.

"I just don't know, Mira doll," Sal said, "I haven't had much business. I'm not even sure I can pay you."

Knives glared even harder at the man. Did that wrinkled old bar manager just call Mira DOLL? Knives ground his teeth. He had accepted Mira and the two girls, but adding more humans to the list of non-insects was a touchy process. Sal wasn't winning any points by having a pet name for HIS Mira.

"I'll work for tips," Mira said, "Until you get back on your feet."

Sal nodded, "Alright then… Deal."

Sal extended his hand and Mira shook it. Sal smiled and said, "Can you start tomorrow night?"

"I sure can!" Mira said with a smile.

Good. That would give Sal time to get the word out.

………………..

Vash groaned as he climbed over the rocky slope. The wind was beating against him, trying to rip him off the rocky ledge. The setting suns were glaring into his eyes. Vash glared ahead of him and shouted, "This is SOME shortcut. We wouldn't even NEED a short cut if you hadn't wanted to go back for that stupid thing!"

"Quit whining, Needle noggin!" The preacher in black called back, clutching his cross punisher, "I can't believe you've lasted this long! You're such a wimp. Besides, we wouldn't have had to go get it if you hadn't left it out there."

Vash eeped as he almost lost his footing. He growled a bit and yelled, "What was I supposed to do? Leave my brother out there?"

"At the time I would have said yes," Wolfwood said rather matter-of-factly.

Wolfwood still couldn't believe it. Knives in love? With a human no less. He goes to sleep for a while and the whole world goes nuts. At least the broom head and the short girl had finally gotten together. He had begun to think he was going to have to tie them together in a dark room for a while.

He smiled as he stood on the top and waited for Vash. They were finally at the crest of the downhill path that would take them home. He was less than two days away from his big girl. _I'm coming, honey._

He turned at the 'GAH!' that came from behind him. Vash was still clumsily making his way up the slope. Wolfwood growled and said, "Would you hurry up already?"

Vash thought of killing someone for the second time in his life.

……………………………………..

Back at the Saloon the next day…

Knives waited anxiously for the performance to start. The insurance girls snickered beside him. He crossed his arms and glared at them. They hadn't let him see his Mira all day, insisting that they needed to do 'women stuff'.

"And NOW," Sal started, "It is my great pleasure to announce the long awaited return of… Mira, Desert Rose!"

Knives slid to the front of his seat and his foot began to tap nervously. He didn't know if she was really ready for this. Maybe he should have insisted she wait another weak. The curtain lifted and Knives froze.

His eyes started at the base of the curtain and found the ruby-red heals first. As the curtain continued to raise his eyes followed it up along the outside curve of Mira's leg. So far he could see she was wearing a tight red dress that sparkled in the spotlight. It had a slit up the right side that went all the way up to her hip. He eyes kept going, now loosing the race with the curtain. They slid up over her hips, up farther to the curve of her breasts, up past her shoulders, finally rest on her beautiful face. Her hair was pulled up with a thousand little tendrils spiraling down around her face. Her gray eyes caught the light and glinted like diamonds. She wore dusty pink lipstick, and her nails were painted red.

"How're y'all doin' tonight!" Mira asked.

The large crowd cheered. _Business is bad, huh?_ Knives thought as he looked around. He was going to have to 'convince' Sal to pay her her proper wages.

"Boy, I sure am glad to see you all here," She glanced at Sal too, who was trying to look too busy to notice. Another cheer.

"I'd like to sing a signature song of mine," Mira started, "Everybody knows it, so I expect to see some dancing!"

The band started off an upbeat rhythm and Mira started to dance. People flooded the dance floor, including Meryl and Millie. Knives sat there, seemingly alone, and watched his Mira.

Mira was fantastic, to say the least. If her dancing skills didn't have you, the smooth control and power of her voice would. Knives's hands burned. He suddenly felt the urge to walk up in stage, grab her and drag her home. He had been fairly good at hiding his feelings for her over the past weeks, but it was getting harder everyday. Instead of being constant, a nagging feeling he could get used to, it seemed to grow and eat up everything inside of him. Everything she said and did spoke to his heart. The way she fought, the way she gave it her all, and every way her soul expressed itself was inspiring to him. She glittered, oh, how she shined. _Her smile… Her eyes…Her b-…Mira…Oh god, Mira._

Knives raked a hand back through his hair, but his eyes never left her. As the song came to a close the girls came back panting and laughing. Meryl sat down with a thump and said, "Wow, she's really GOOD."

"Yeah," Millie seconded, "She should get on the satellite."

Knives scarcely heard them, so he nodded, hoping it was they right thing to do. Mira smiled and said, "Did you like that?"

The crowd cheered. Mira smiled and said, "Does everyone have their tickets ready?"

Knives blinked. _What tickets?_

"One lucky man will get a 'welcome back' kiss from the Desert Rose!" One of the background singers said, "I hope you all emptied your accounts, the more tickets you buy, the better your chances. One more song until we pull the winning ticket!"

Knives ripped his pocket in the process if tearing out his wallet. He opened it and sighed. Meryl had been delivering a living allowance of sorts, but Knives had spent nearly all of it earlier on groceries. He growled and ripped out his remaining $$5.

"What are you doing, Mr. Knives?" Millie chimed.

He turned to explain and then saw what Meryl was holding on the table in front of him. Meryl smirked and said, "We already stacked the deck in your favor, do you really need 5 more tickets?"

Knives snatched the pile of tickets. There were well over a hundred of them. He glanced around the saloon trying to calculate his odds. He held those tickets like they were his one and only attachment to this world. The girls smiled at each other as Mira started the next song. This song was slow. It seemed to drag on forever.

Just then a man in a long cloak walked in and up to the bar. He said, just loud enough for Knives to pick it up with his plant hearing, "Give me 500 tickets."

Knives blinked and looked over at the man. He couldn't make out much since his black cloak covered just about everything.

"That's a lot of tickets, mister, are you--" Sal stopped in his tracks when he saw the man's face. He lowered his voice and Knives could not hear the rest of the conversation.

"You… How did you get past the sheriff?"

"That doesn't matter," The man said and slid $$500 across the bar, "Give me the tickets, and don't make a scene if you value your life."

Sal glared as he yanked the money across the bar and handed the man five hundred copied tickets. He put the originals in the jar. The man smiled and pulled his cloak down to shade his face so that no one else would recognize him. He put his massive roll of tickets in his shirt pocket and said, "Thank ye kindly, barkeep. Now don't do anything stupid. I'm watching you."

With that the man turned away from the bar and made his way to dark table in back. Sal smiled as he thought. _Too late, filth. This contest is already rigged._

…………………………….

Jackie; 'plays ominous music, puts on a fifties style hat, and grasps the radio mic' who is the man in black, will Knives win the kiss? When will Vash and Wolfwood show up? Stay tuned!


	12. Taken

Jackie: 'still wearing her fifties radio announcer outfit' When we last left our heroes… 'Tears off the outfit a tosses the mic' Okay, so I'm not very good at acting. Besides, I'm sure you would rather I just got back to the story, right?

Thanks for the reviews! 'tear' You guys are so AWESOME. I wasn't going to post again today but I'm such a sucker for good reviews that I sat myself right down and got typing.

Disclaimer; …. Um, I don't own Trigun. 'sets up a lawyer to banter off in legalese' this guy will say that in at least 100 times the words, enjoy.

…………………………………….

Chapter 12;

Knives strained to hear the conversation before the man left the bar, but he couldn't pick up anything past the first thing the man said. Knives gritted his teeth. Suddenly the odds weren't so in his favor, and he doubted five more tickets would help. On stage, the song ended, and Knives held his breath.

Sal walked up on stage saying, "Isn't she wonderful folks?"

Sal concealed between the mic and his hand a ticket. It was the winner that he had chosen. That scum could have bought 5000 tickets and it wouldn't have made a difference. Sal put the jar on a stool that was slid forward for him by the base guitarist. Sal switched the mic to his other hand and thrust his baited hand into the jar, pretending to stir it around. Sal smiled and said, "Is everyone ready?"

The crowd cheered. Almost every man in the house was on the edge of their seats. Sal thrust his hand back into the air and said, "AND… The winning ticket is… Drum roll please?"

As the drum roll started Mira looked out into the crowd. She froze as her eyes found Knives. He was on the edge of his chair with what must have been a hundred tickets or more. His hands were shaking; his eyes were intent, like he was trying to will one of the tickets to be a winner. Mira's heart started to pound in her chest. She looked around the room again. She couldn't see the back tables but she was sure no one had bought half as many as Knives. Could that mean…

Mira looked him over. He was wearing a pair of new black jeans and a Deep blue, button-up shirt that matched his eyes. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing his muscular forearms. The top two buttons were undone showing off the top of the chest she so wanted to lay her head on. He had kept his hair the same as it had been the day she saw him. It suited him. God, but he was handsome.

He had been so gruff and cutting the first days they were together in the hospital. Then, slowly he seemed to change, revealing a tender loyal side. Maybe change was the wrong word. She felt like it had always been there beneath his surface. As much as he seemed to be aggravated by his brother, she had sensed a deep devotion between them. She wanted that devotion. She wanted it so badly. _Please god, let him win._

Did she dare to believe his crassness, which developed into civility, and later friendship…? Did she dare to believe it had gotten as far as love? She dreamed of it. Being the object of his affections, but she had never been fool enough to hope…

His eyes flipped up to her and both of their hearts stopped. Sal brought the ticket down and pretended to read it, "Ticket number 32206."

Knives looked down at his tickets, feverishly searching for the correct digits. His heart was in his throat. _32204, 32205, 3220…_

"I've got it!" Knives roared in triumph as he jumped to his feet. Mira couldn't help smiling. The girls smiled and nodded to Sal as Knives went up to the stage.

Knives got five paces from her and stopped. _What if she doesn't want to kiss me?_ He looked into her eyes for something. To his surprise she had already bridged the distance and wrapped her arms around his neck. Just as his lips were about to meet hers the stranger in the back came forward and growled, "Just a goddam, minute thar' lover boy. I think _I_ got the winning ticket right HERE!"

He flipped back the hood of his cloak and motioned to his gun. The crowd screamed and started climbing over each other like animals to get out. Knives didn't need to turn around to see who it was. By the look in Mira's terrified eyes, he knew. Knives spun around and shouted, "Piece of trash! I will KILL you!"

Knives was going to link to his mind and crush it like a rotten grape! But before he could a shot rang out from beside him, cutting through his left arm and lodging in his chest. Knives was thrown to the floor.

"NO!" Mira cried and threw herself down beside him.

It was the Cavemen, and their terrifying leader, Captain Morgan. He was called that because he liked rum almost as much as he liked to inflict pain. He ripped Mira up and threw her to two of his men. Over twenty men had appeared from the crowd. This attack had been well planned.

"Serves him right," the captain sneered, "Nobody touches MY Mira."

The Captain pointed his gun at Knives's head.

SLAM!

The saloon doors flung open. Vash and Wolfwood staggered in looking very much like they would die of thirst. Almost immediately Both Vash and Wolfwood registered their mistake and dove in opposite directions.

"Kill them all" Morgan shouted with a sick grin, not affording anyone time to decide weather they were going to fight him.

He shoved the two men holding Mira out the back. As the bullets began to fly Knives staggered to his feet and ran after them. He slid to a stop outside. Mira was slowing them down considerably. As always she was fighting with everything in her, but she hadn't slowed them enough. As Knives reached out with his mind again the car started and raced out of sight.

"DAMN!" Knives howled, gripping his side.

He couldn't take someone's mind that he didn't know from this distance. That wouldn't be a problem for long. Knives Millions bubbled to his surface. His face drained of emotion and his lips curved into a wicked smile. _You will pay for touching what is MINE, spider._

……………………

Jackie; there, an extra chapter today, just cause 'sniff' I love you guys so much!


	13. The Chase

Jackie; okay, the Wolfwood thing was a little obvious. Sorry, I can always kill him again if you want? smiles evilly Oh come on, you know I'm kidding

Chapter thirteen;

There was someone in the car that Knives knew. Someone he COULD contact. He walked to the nearest gun shop, and busted in. He was in a hurry after all, and Vash hadn't seen fit to give back his gun yet.

Knives holstered a 38 on each hip and knives in both his boots. He took off his shirt and tore it in to several strips. With them he wrapped his chest and arm. He didn't want to bleed to death before he got to her. Then he walked back to the saloon where Vash and his group were standing outside. Without a word Knives got into Mira's car and drove off.

"Oh shit," Vash whispered, "He's pissed, and BAD things happen when he is pissed."

Wolfwood and Millie, after a quick reunion kiss, were standing ready to assist. There would be time for that later, though they both obviously regretted it. Meryl readied two derringers and said, "Let's go, the car is over there."

The group loaded up and sped off in the direction Knives had gone. Vash fingered his gun and reached out to Knives.

'_Don't kill them Knives.'_

'_You can't be serious. They touched Mira, and that SCUMBAG of a leader almost killed her.'_

'_You know there are plenty of people who probably want you dead right now for similar reasons.'_

'_That's different.'_

'_How?'_

'_Stop wasting my time. I'm trying to link to Mira and find her.'_

'_Promise you won't kill them!'_

'… _I won't kill the men… I can't promise anything about the leader…'_

Vash grimaced as the link was snapped shut. He knew he wouldn't get it back again. Knives had always been stronger than him in that area. He took some solace in the fact that he could still sense the general direction Knives was in. Vash pointed east and said, "That way, hurry!"

Knives reached out. He knew Mira would be surprised. He had not told her anything about who he was or his past. He sensed her east of him and he strained to open the link gently.

'_Mira…'_

Mira stopped struggling and looked around at her attackers. They were all faced away. She looked around again for the familiar voice. She was about to call out when she heard.

'_don't speak. I'm not there. I'm here in your head.'_

'_Oh, great' she thought 'I've gone nuts'_

'_No, I'm really communicating with you in your mind.'_

'_HEAD SHOULDERS KNEES AND TOES, KNEES AND TOES'_

'_Stop that!'_

'_Well, I figured if I was going crazy might as well really fall off the deep end.'_

'_I can prove it, but you have to promise not to get mad.'_

'_okay, why not.'_

Mira's hand lifted on its own and she stared at it as slowly, almost nervously, it descended to allow her fingers to brush her cheek. The arm went back up and waved at her, then flopped back down beside her. She moved her fingers, finding the limb again under her control.

'_Oh wow. I must be farther gone than I thought.'_

'_I DID THAT!'_

'_On top of old SMMMMoooookkkyyyyy'_

'_Please stop… I need you to believe me. Even if you have gone crazy, can it really hurt anything for you to believe me?'_

'_I 'spose not.'_

'_That's a girl. I can sense the direction you're in, but I can get there faster if you tell me exactly where you are.'_

'_I can tell you exactly where we're going. But I won't'_

'_What???'_

'_If I'm not crazy I don't want to lead you right to your death. I can't allow it.'_

'_Why not? I've got help right behind me. We can save you!'_

'_Because I love you.'_

'…'

Even without him responding she could feel that he was shocked. Either this link was getting stronger or she was REALLY loosing it.

'_I love you too. I love you so much, Mira. I can't lose you now. I am coming after you weather you help or not, so you might as well help.'_

'_Yep, I'm crazy. You would never say that.'_

'_Mira, please…'_

Mira looked out of the back of the car. She could swear Knives was in that direction. He was getting close too. She was sure of it… She wasn't going crazy.

'_Oh my god… It is you. You're there. I know where you are!'_

'_Finally, now stop being stubborn and tell me where you are going!'_

Knives's head filled with visions. He could see clearly the route to the hideout of the Caveman. Then he felt something unexpected… Fear.

'_What are you?' Mira's voice echoed in his mind._

'_I'll explain later. Does it really matter anyway?'_

Mira thought for a moment. Did it matter? She loved him. She loved him with everything she had in herself. She was more than a little mad that she had been robbed of what would have been a very romantic first kiss.

'_No, I guess it doesn't'_

Knives felt the fear subside. He corrected his course to go directly to the hideout. He would be upon them soon, and they would regret every way Mira had been made to suffer.

'_I'm coming… Please hold on.'_

Mira nearly rolled off the seat as they came to an abrupt halt. The captain's men grabbed her and roughly yanked her out. Morgan licked his lips as he appraised her. Then she smiled and said, "Take her to the room and strip her down. Do NOT touch her. I'll be down shortly."

Mira listened for Knives. Good. Apparently he couldn't hear what was being said. Mira tried not to think. She didn't want to accidentally send him anything.

The two men drug her down two flights of stairs. Her heals were lost in the struggle. They took her into a room and she froze in terror. The words torture chamber had never been so real. She didn't lay down and weep though, she fought to keep her dress. In the end they cut it off in segments while she squirmed.

"Damn," One of them breathed, "She sure is pretty."

"Don't touch, idiot," The other hissed, "You heard the Captain."

His partner's warning went unheeded. He lifted Mira up and laid her back against a cold, flat table. Mira clawed, struggled, everything she could do, but the man closed two mounted shackles around her wrists and started undoing his pants.

"He'll kill you, stupid!" The other man shouted.

"Pah! Why should he get all the fun," The man started to drop his pants.

"He will kill you," She spat, "He'll kill all of you, and your miserable leader."

"You don't make any sense, darling',"He rubbed himself against her, "Maybe I can screw some sense into you."

The man fell limply on Mira's body. Blood slid over her body and then the body was pulled away. Captain Morgan smiled and said, "Don't worry. No one is going to have you but me."

Morgan glared at the other man and said, "Get that mess out of here!"

As the man drug the dead body away Morgan licked his lips. He opened the drawers on the sides of the tables and said, "The table is as good a place as any to begin…"

………………………

Jackie; and goodnight!


	14. Into the Cave

Jackie; Welcome back, I was inspired so I stayed up late and wrote a whole bunch of new chapters for my wonderful reviewers. More action and adventure to ensue.

'laughs' you guys are nuts, I love the reviews. Keep reviewing and I will continue to crank it out. I'm such a sucker for praise.

Welcome and thanks to my new reviewer Malster. Wactha got? A 286? 'snickers' I'm only teasing because until a year ago, inspite of being a computer science major, I was doing my coding on an IBM 286. I understand where you are coming from. I'm glad you finally got to review! It took what? An hour and a half? 'smirk' Good old computer. My son plays "Freddy Fish" on it now.

A special shout out to Snw, Aine, Kawaii, Ink, and hope. By the way, 'ahem' some of you need to do some updating to your own stories. 'twitches' Must have MORE.

…………………..

Chapter 14;

Knives stopped the car at behind the last hill before he would be in sight of the hideout. He crept up, gritting his teeth at the roughness of sand against his bare skin, and peered over the slope. He looked over the hill at the first two guards that were in his way. He concentrated and they fell limply to the ground. He knocked them out, it was as easy as triggering a quick blood rush to the head. They would have headaches but they would be unharmed.

Knives heard a car pull up behind him and he drew one of the 38 caliber pistols on his hips as he swung around to see who was there. He reholstered his gun when he saw it was just Vash and his friends. The whole gang laid down on each side of Knives. Vash was to his right and asked, "So what's the situation."

"Mira showed me the layout of the outer grounds. A few circular dunes have been plowed into place. Each circle has more guards. I already took out the guards in this circle, but stay low, they have a lookout tower too," Knives said quietly.

Vash glanced over Knives's wounds and the sweat beading on his brow. He put his hand on his twin's shoulder and asked, "You gonna be okay, bro? Me and Wolfwood can--"

"I'm fine!" He growled and jumped over the crest of the hill into the ditch.

Knives started low crawling up to the next ledge as the others followed. Knives peered quickly over the next ledge then ducked down with the others again. He frowned and said, "Too many. I can only get five at once."

"Then tell us the five you want," Wolfwood said casually, "We'll get the rest."

Knives looked at Wolfwood and frowned. Yes, he had saved Wolfwood from deaths door, and nursed him back to health. However, while Wolfwood's body was being worked on in stasis, Knives had been torturing his mind. It was his punishment for betrayal. He made a note to try to make it up to him and said, "I'll take the five to the far right."

That was all they needed to hear. Wolfwood and Vash jumped into the ditch and started fighting with the three guards Knives couldn't get. The other five merely crumpled where they stood. Knives and the girls jumped into the ditch as they other three fell with light thuds onto the sand. Knives thought they were very lucky to have gotten this far without setting off the alarm. He crawled up to the next slope and groaned at what he saw.

"How many?" Wolfwood asked.

"About two hundred," Knives said, "They are having some sort of party but--"

"Leave it to us," Wolfwood said, "You just worry about who is inside, and find the girl."

Before Knives could say anything, Vash and Wolfwood jumped over the slope. Meryl and Millie were only footsteps behind them. The gunfire started and Knives bounded over the ledge. He took out a few handfuls on his way to the front door, but never broke his stride. He knew Vash and his friends could handle this.

Knives busted down the door with a gun in each hand, and caught four men playing cards. He smiled and said, "Hey there."

Before they touched their weapons they crumbled to the floor. Knives didn't see anyone else in the massive upper room, so he made his way to the staircase that lead down…

Mira kicked Morgan in the head when he was bending over to pick up his first instrument of choice. He staggered sideways and cursed, "You bitch!"

He was heading back towards her when the gunfire started outside. Morgan looked up and tried to listen to the muffled sounds. He readied his gun and said, "Looks like your man on the side is persistent. He must've brought friends too."

Morgan sighed and locked the door. He held his gun out toward Mira, "I had hoped to make your stay here long and painful, but you see there's one small problem. I hate loosing."

"That man and the preacher in black," He started, "I know them. Seen um single handedly take out my ex-boss's whole gang."

He pulled back the hammer of his gun and said, "In a way I owe them 'cause now I'm the boss. But I still can't handle losing. So when they get here, Mira, they will be too late."

'_Where are you?'_

'_Second floor down, hurry!'_

'_Stall him, I'm coming.'_

"Don't do it Morgan," Mira said softly, "You're already going to get it when he gets here, but I have a feeling he can do much worse things than kill you."

The door knob clicked as Knives fumbled with it. Morgan looked over his shoulder at the door and quickly turned back.

'_No good! It's locked. Where is he? Show me a picture!'_

A picture flashed in Knives's head of Morgan standing in front of the door with his back to it. Knives aimed.

"Now don't go getting all sweet and soft with me now, Mira," He smiled as he said, "It's too late for that. Game over."

Mira closed her eyes tightly as a shot rang out.

…………………………….

Jackie; so who pulled the trigger first? Will I kill the bad guy or have a bitter-sweet ending in which Knives must learn the tragedy he has inflicted on so many…


	15. Feverish

Jackie; 'hands Aine a bottle of Captain Morgan and a three leter bottle of coke' ENJOY!

…………………………

Chapter 15;

Mira's eyes blinked open as she heard something large hit the floor. Then she heard another shoot which broke the lock on the door and flung it open. There was her hero.

Knives stood before her like some dime novel Romeo, bear chested, aside from his make shift bandage, and shining with sweat. He charged in and emptied his gun into Captain Morgan. He growled under his breath, "Slime, that's more than you deserved."

Mira should have been shocked, appalled by the violent side Knives was showing. She was, sort of, but she was also excited. She was excited by the raw power that was dripping off of him, excited by the fierce look in his deep blue eyes. Her darker side agreed with him. That WAS more than Morgan deserved.

Knives put his gun away and turned to Mira. His eyes went wide and then he looked away. He felt the urge to empty another round into the man. Knives shivered as he said, "What did he do to you?"

"What?" Mira asked, "Nothing, you got here just in time."

"You're covered in blood," Knives nearly whimpered, thinking he had been too late.

"It's not mine," Mira said, "Could you get me off this table and find something for me to wear before your friends arrive?"

Knives looked back at her and knelt down. He ripped the cloak off of Morgan's dead body and took it over to Mira. He laid it delicately across her, drew his gun and shot off the locks on both shackles. Mira instantly brought her hands up and rubbed her wrists.

"Thank you," Mira said softly.

She rose and wrapped the cloak around herself as she stood. She noted how quickly Knives turned away from her. Even his back was handsome, but he seemed ashamed of something. She had a dreadful feeling that she knew what it was. She frowned and said, "You can take it back… If you want."

Knives blinked and asked, "Take what back?"

"Well," Mira started, "I kinda pressured you into saying it. I mean, it was just a heat of the moment confession, and I'm sure you just wanted to comfort me. I'm, ah, what I mean is that you can take it back. I won't be upset."

Knives arched a brow. She hadn't stopped to take a breath while she was talking. He had never seen her act this way. He walked over to her and asked, "Are you sure you are feeling alright? You aren't making any sense."

Knives reached for her forehead and she swatted it away. She began crying and said, "Don't play with me! I know you couldn't have possibly meant it. Only horrible, abusive, criminally insane men want me!"

Mira's eyes flowed over him before she turned her eyes away. _She just checked me out. She crying and she checked me out! _It became clear all of a sudden. Knives cupped her chin in his hand and looked at her in an appraising fashion. He had that matter-of-fact look he always got when he was about to speak to you like a small ignorant child. Mira's temper flared, and her eyes flashed. That was exactly what he wanted.

"Don't even think about it," Mira said darkly.

"About what?" Knives asked, arching a brow.

"Don't you dare use that tone of voice," She said softly.

Now, with Mira, a soft voice was a warning. She didn't yell when her anger was building. Her voice would get softer and softer, until you leaned in to hear her and then you would get it. Knives smiled brightly. Oh, how he loved her fire!

"This tone of voice?" Knives asked, "The, 'you are full of nonsense' voice? Well, deal with it because you are."

Mira would have clubbed him good if he hadn't suddenly pulled her to him, securely locking her arms down beneath the tightly wrapped cloak. It hurt to hold her like this with his wounded arm, but he couldn't have cared less. He removed his other hand from her chin and stroked he cheek lightly as he said, "Because I meant it. I meant every word. Don't you ever notice me staring? Don't you see the difference in the way I look at you? Are you that dense?"

Mira's eyes got hotter at the same time her cheeks flushed from his touch. She didn't know weather to be mad at him for talking to her that way or if she should melt in his arms. Knives slid his hand around to the back of her neck. His grip became firm, locking his fingers in her hair, as he said, "Tsk, tsk, so intelligent, and yet, so blind. Let me make it clear to you."

Knives's lips crashed down on hers before she could protest. He claimed her lips feverishly, demanding entrance. To his surprise and delight, she moaned and yielded. He hungrily claimed the inside of her mouth. He broke the kiss and pulled back her head, forcing her to crane her neck toward him. He nipped and kissed all the right spots to make her shiver. Then he whispered in her ear, "Have I made myself clear?"

"I--" Mira started.

"Hey!" Vash chimed peaking around the doorway, "Is this a bad time?"

Knives gave Vash a look that promised LOTS of pain. He released Mira and held out his hand to her. She took it, and they walked out together.

…………………………………..

Jackie; Oh, come now. You didn't REALLY think I'd kill her?


	16. Thank you

Jackie; 'bows to Inkydoo's superior impression' Yeah, but can you do THIS? 'does the little double-middle-finger-wiggle trick!'

………………………………..

Chapter 16;

"Thank you so much," Mira said to Vash and the group.

"Don't mention it!" Vash said with his goofy smile.

Wolfwood leaned on his punisher. He lit a cigarette and said, "Yeah, we're just happy to help."

"Do you have the envelope?" Knives asked Vash.

Vash was a little surprised by the interruption. Vash nodded and said, "I didn't even have time to put it down."

Vash produced the envelope from his duster, and Knives snatched it. Knives smiled and said, "I will explain later."

Vash nodded and Millie stepped forward hugging Knives so tightly that she nearly crushed him. She sputtered as she said, "Thank you, Mr. Knives, thank you so much."

Knives didn't have to ask what for. He was looking at Wolfwood over her shoulder. Wolfwood gave him a slight nod. That was the best 'thank you' he would get from the preacher. Knives patted her shoulder and choked out, "Don't mention it. Now could you let go? I still have a bullet in the side of my chest."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Millie said in her shrill innocent way as she released him.

Knives nodded and said, "Meet us for lunch tomorrow, around noon."

It wasn't a request. He turned on his heal and drug Mira along with him. She waved over her shoulder and said, "Bye! Thanks again!"

"You take care, pretty lady!" Vash called.

Knives and Mira sped off and Meryl jabbed Vash in the ribs, "Pretty lady, huh? And I'm just 'short girl'?"

"What?" Vash whined giving Meryl that innocent look.

Wolfwood snickered. He picked up his punisher and wrapped his other arm around his big girl as he purred, "Let's go home Millie, those two are hopeless."

"Do us all a favor and get laid you two!" Wolfwood called over his shoulder at them.

Vash blushed wildly. Meryl turned on her heal and chased after Wolfwood and Millie. She waved her fists in the air and yelled, "What did you say?!"

"Lighten up, short girl," Wolfwood teased.

Vash smiled and followed his friends to the car. They loaded up and headed into town. A few moments into the ride Wolfwood said, "Hey Vash, can you and Meryl get a hotel room tonight? Millie and I need to… Catch up."

Wolfwood's eyes flickered at Millie and she blushed wildly. Vash smirked and shot Wolfwood a glance that said he knew exactly what kind of catching up the preacher intended. He laughed and said, "Sure! It's not every day that someone comes back from the dead. I'm sure you have LOTS of 'catching up' to do."

"You have no tact," Meryl said in that obviously irritated voice, "What a bunch of perverts."

Vash glanced at Meryl, she seemed really upset all of a sudden. Vash winced. Why shouldn't she be? Their 'big date' had been cancelled, he was MIA for weeks, and when he gets back? A thrilling night time shootout ensues. Vash chewed his bottom lip. He knew he had some SERIOUS making up to do.

………………………………

Jackie; 'passes out jello shots' I'm gonna be a moma today! Actually, what I mean by that is my chicken eggs should hatch. I'm hoping for 80 hatch which is pretty darn good for winter.


	17. Roaring Flame

Jackie: WARNING LEMON-LIME, SERIOUS CITRUS! You have been warned so no flames!

Hope-is-4ever: Hehehe, you have NO idea. If you're sad, that makes two of us. Ultimately, I chose Vash. Just look at my husband. 'waves a picture' Oh, yeah, you can't see that… Well, he's 6'7", skinny, has spikey hair, aqua eyes, and he's a big lovable goof. 'smooches the picture' That's my broom head!

………………………

Chapter 17;

The car came to a halt outside of Mira's house. Before she could move Knives was opening the car door for her. They went inside and Mira shivered. The cloak was not protecting her for the night's deadly cold. Knives, ever aware of her condition said, "Go ahead and take a nice, long, hot bath. I will start a fire and cook you something to eat."

"But the bullet," Mira said motioning to his side, "We need to get that out."

"I'll take care of it," He said and touched her cheek lightly, "You take care of you."

Mira was mesmerized by him. She stared at him for a few moments and then shook her head numbly. She walked into the bathroom and drew a bubble bath. Knives undid his bandages and went to the large storage closet for fresh bandages and anything he could dig the bullet out with.

He had actually been quite lucky. The bullet passed through his arm without hitting any major blood vessels, and that slowed it down considerably. When it contacted one of his ribs it at been stopped from entering his lungs and had been so slowed by his arm that it didn't break the rib. He smiled at his luck while he ripped the bullet from his side. He grimaced a bit and then wrapped himself back up. When he was done he was cleanly wrapped in good surgical bandages.

He immediately started a fire. Even he was getting cold. When he was satisfied by the size of the fire and the warmth it was putting off, he set about making food. Knives smiled as he worked. This domestic stuff was new to Knives Millions, but he quite enjoyed it. Not because of the labor itself, but because he was doing it for Mira.

Knives made up two plates and two mugs of hot cocoa. He sat down with them by the fire as Mira came out on the bathroom. Mira stopped at the entrance of the living room and gaped at him. His skin glowed in the soft light of the fire. His eyes became dark and bottomless. He was still shirtless and the definition of his hard male body was too much for Mira's senses. Mira had to fight not the throw herself into his arms.

Knives looked at her and saw her heated expression. He smiled and said, "Later, love. Right now you need some food."

What did he mean later? Mira looked him over again and blinked. _Oh… I get it._ She sat down and they enjoyed their meal. When it came time to sip hot chocolate, Knives pulled a blanket around both of their shoulders. He leaned close to her, and they watched the fire. This close Knives could smell her clean scent. He breathed in deeply and sighed. They both put their empty glasses down.

Mira stared at the fire, trying to block out the heat swelling in her gut. The flames sputtered and flicked in the brick fireplace. She was well aware of the cold night around them, the warm fire in front of them, and the man, dangerously close to her left side. She didn't even need to look to feel his head dropping close to her ear.

"We don't have to, tonight," Knives said, "You've been through a lot."

Knives wrapped his arms around her, drawing her into his lap. He looked down into her crystalline gray eyes, which held a bewildered and drugged look. He brushed her hair back tenderly as he said, "I can just hold you. I'm happy with that, for as long as you'll let me."

His blue eyes shimmered with warmth. He was in love, so in love. He kissed her forehead lightly and she shivered in his arms. When he looked down into her eyes again it was her turn to stare at him like he was a stupid child.

"You are full of nonsense," She mocked, as she brushed her lips across his, "Let me make myself clear."

She was not as forceful though. Her mouth brushed lightly against his. When his mouth opened slightly she traced his lips with her tongue. Knives groaned and his grip on her tightened. He felt her smile against his lips and that was all the encouragement he needed.

He shifted and laid her on the carpet in front of the fire. He kissed her back just as gently, stopping only to lower his lips to her neck and collar bones. She moaned softly and balled her right hand in his hair as her left slid down his back. Knives shivered lightly and his hands found the tie of her robe. As he untied it, Mira pulled his head back and nipped the juncture of his neck and shoulder.

He flung open the robe and grasped both her hands. He held them over her head and growled lightly. His eyes met hers with equal amounts of animalistic lust and tender love. She purred up at him. He smiled and said, "I was going to be gentle, but if you keep it up I might just have to--"

He deliberately let the sentence trail off as his eyes made an equally deliberate appraisal of her silky feminine frame. Her eyes flashed and she smirked mischievously. She lifted her leg up and wrapped it around his hips. The cold metal and leather of one of his guns and holster caused her to quiver. She couldn't reach his mouth, held down like this, so she turned her head and bit his forearm lightly.

Knives growled, and lowered his mouth to her breasts as he said, "As you wish."

He nipped quite a bit harder and suckled feverishly. She threw her head back and moaned with pleasure, arching her back up to him and tightening her leg around his hip. She could feel the swell of his manhood straining against his pants and rubbing her in the most sensitive of spots. She pushed her hips up against his and ground them against him.

Knives nearly howled. He broke away from her and stripped away his remaining clothing tossing them in different directions. His hostler landed somewhere on the couch, he couldn't have told you where he threw the rest. He immediately settled between her thighs. She nipped he earlobe and rubbed her hips against him suggestively as she said, "Oh, Knives, I want you so badly."

He smile against her throat and said, "Evil woman. You know I really don't need that much encouragement."

He slipped into her harshly and she hissed, "Yesssss."

They made love several times, all night long.

……………………………….

Jackie: Anyone need a cigarette?


	18. A Challenge Issued

Jackie: Ink, you are so impatient. 'smirk' I will get to the plants, I haven't forgotten them, just keep reading. Before this fic is done the loose ends will come together. I intend for this fic to be longer than Silver Wings and Silver Wings was 25 chapters long. You won't be disappointed, and if you are, I will gladly publish any flames you care to write.

'listens to the music' hey, hey, now, down girl. Behave yourself! No lemons this chapter, but some mild Meryl x Vash fluff.

Thanks to all, I LOVE reading the reviews.

Disclaimer: Haven't said it in a while, so in case you've forgotten. I don't own Trigun.

……………………………………..

Chapter 18;

After dropping Millie and Wolfwood off at the house, Vash and Meryl checked into a small inn in town. As Vash was signing the guest book, Meryl snatched the keys and stormed upstairs. Vash pouted as the man behind the counter said, "Oh, she's looks like she is in a mood. You sure you don't want two rooms?"

"I'm sure," Vash said, "Ummm, could I get a glass of water while I'm standing here?"

"You're going to need something stronger than water," The man chuckled and handed Vash a glass, "But here you go."

Vash slammed in back. "AH! I'm alive again! Gee thanks, mister. Gotta go deal with the little lady now, cya!"

The man's eyebrow twitched with confusion as Vash strode upstairs. He shook his head and said, "3… 2… 1… "

"AhHHhhh," a muffled voice screamed from upstairs, "Whatcha do that for???"

The inn keep smiled and poured himself a drink, thankful he didn't have any other guests for them to disturb. He laughed and said, "Should've taken the other room."

Vash marched through the bedroom door with his goofiest smirk on.

KAPOW!

"AHHHhhhh," Vash whined, "Whatcha do that for???"

Meryl was fuming. She turned away from him, crossing her arms and sniffed. Vash blinked at her back wondering why she hadn't laid into him verbally yet. She was never at a loss for words.

"We have one special night together," She started softly, there she goes, "A few dates, and we WERE planning a 'big' date, but THAT got canceled. I understand why but… Damn it Vash, you go running off whenever ANYONE else needs you. Why couldn't Knives have gone himself? We would have kept an eye on Mira; she would have waited for him. I'm sure of it. Why is it always me who gets left behind why you solve everyone else's problems?"

"Meryl, I-" Vash started.

"I'm not finished," She snapped, "Those dates… Let's see, we went to five different saloons, you got drunk, and I carried your sorry butt home. You know, helping out is just who you are, I wouldn't mind waiting…"

Meryl turned and slipped her arms around him. Her eyes were closed as her lips brushed against his. She whispered against his lips, "Just give me something worth waiting for."

"Meryl," Vash breathed against her lips.

Meryl's soft kisses and gentle caresses had Vash hypnotized. Meryl turned them with a few expert shuffles and then backed him up against the bed. With a slight eep of surprise Vash and fell back unto it and Meryl straddled him. Vash peered up into Meryl soft violet gaze, clouded with lust, and smiled softly. He rubbed the small of her back gently and said, "Meryl, I can't do this."

"Why the hell not?" Meryl growled.

"Because I don't believe in it," Vash said.

He brought her fingers to his lips and kissed each knuckled gently. He closed his eyes and whispered into her palm, "I want to, I want to so badly, but… I would have to marry you first."

Meryl gaped at him. Of course! Vash was always doing the honorable thing, it just fit his character. Meryl wanted to laugh at her terrible luck, and she did.

"What?" Vash asked looking more than a little surprised.

"Then it's never going to happen," Meryl answered.

"Oh," Vash said sadly, "Because you would never marry a drifter like me?"

"No," Meryl said looking very much like she was about to issue a challenge, "Because you don't have the guts to ask me."

Meryl got up and did her 'I know I'm right walk' to the other bed. Vash whined, "Hey! That's not fair! Don't you want to cuddle?"

"Nope," Meryl teased, "Can't do that until we're married."

With that Meryl turned out the light.

………………………………………..

Jackie; I don't have chickens yet 'frowns' I think my thermometer is wrong. When I candle the chicks they don't look far enough along, which is a sure sign of low temp. My thermometer is at the level of the eggs and reads 100.5 degrees, which is right where it should be. I'm going to adjust so that it reads 101.5 and see what happens. Too low a temp causes late or failed hatches, too high causes pre-cooked chickens. EEEWWWW. I guess I'll just adjust up a degree at a time until I have a successful hatch. The humidity and ventilation seems perfect. It's just simply not hot enough

Now that you know more than you ever wanted to about chickens… GOODNIGHT!


	19. Do You Still Love Me?

Jackie; 53 reviews! YAY! 'does a cartwheel'. You guys are the best! 'sniff' 'tear' I love you guys! 'turns on her best party music and boogies on down'

I'm also doing smashingly well on my diet! I was on bedrest for a view years and needless to say I lost my girlish figure. I'm getting it back slowly but surely. It was a small price to pay for my two perfect babies.

DISCLAIMER; I don't own Trigun

……………………………………..

The next morning Knives was making breakfast. Mira woke up to a loud "OUCH" as a spatter jumped from the pan to Knives's hand. He was getting better and better at cooking, but he still needed a lot of work. Mira smiled as she entered the Kitchen, re-wrapping the robe around herself.

"Morning, handsome," Mira said with a hint of a smile.

"Morning, Beautiful," Knives said and cursed as another spatter hit his hand.

Mira grabbed his hand and kissed it lightly. As she turned down the heat she said, "You've got the stove on to high, and you should drain the grease like this, periodically."

Mira pulled out a can of congealed bacon grease and drained off some of the liquid excess in the frying pan. She left the can there on the counter so he could do the same as needed. She sat down at the table and continued to smile at him as he toiled.

"You keep the grease?" Knives asked with a hint of disgust.

"Yes, unrefined it works well to grease the farm equipment," She started, "What doesn't get used for that I filter and sterilize for shortening."

"I see," Knives said, "What is shortening for?"

"Lots of things," She answered, "like greasing a cake pan so it won't stick when you bake it."

"Will you show me?" Knives asked.

"How is it that you never learned?" Mira asked, "You seem to have a great thirst to learn new things. I can't believe a man of your age doesn't know how to do such things for himself."

"I was distracted," Knives answered softly.

Knives put together a plate of food for each of them and set one in front of Mira while he sat down with the other. Mira readily ate her food, but she realized Knives was only picking at his. She took a drink of water and said, "Okay… So what's wrong with you this morning?"

"I guess I'm just waiting and dreading," Knives answered.

"About what, love?" Mira asked.

"You know," Knives said.

Knives replayed the conversation to Mira through their link that he had never bothered to let drop.

'…_What are you?'_

'_I'll explain later. Besides does it really matter?'_

Mira interrupted.

'_I believe I said that, as a matter of fact, it didn't'_

'_You need to know'_

'_Why?'_

'_You just do.'_

'_Then show me'_

Knives took a deep shaking breath and replayed the whole story. Every laugh shared with Rem and the crew, every time Steve beat him, how he caused the big fall, all the people he slaughtered…

Mira's face contorted in disbelief. _Only assholes and the criminally insane want me._ She began to cry.

'_STOP! Oh please, stop!'_

'_Wait, the next part is important.'_

Then he showed her his times with her through his eyes. He made her privy to every thought that passed through his head. She watched him from the inside, changing. When it was done, Knives could only sit there watching her. He waited, waited for her to reject him.

"_I_ did that?" She breathed, "_I _changed you?"

Knives nodded. He shook as he said, "It was wrong, last night, I should have told you before… I…"

Knives felt the beginnings of tears sting his eyes. _Geese, I'm becoming a big baby like Vash. _He stood up and faced away from her as he said, "I understand if you want me to go."

"Sit down," Mira growled.

Knives did as he was told… THERE'S A SHOCK. Mira looked at him for a long time before saying, "I SAID it didn't matter didn't I? I love you. Nothing you did makes sense to me, but that's not who you are right now. Who you are right now is who I love."

Knives blinked at her and said, "You realize that the day will come when I will have to face what I've done."

"I understand," Mira nodded.

"Thank you," Knives said with a sigh of relief, "For everything."

…………………………..

Jackie; No chickens. You're only supposed to try for 4-5 days past the hatch date. 'frowns' I don't suspect this hatch will make it, in spite of the fact I can see them moving around in their shells. I keep hoping that I'm going to hear them peep. A peep is a good sign that hatching is less than a day away. This may sound stupid but I cheep at them everyday, because it can encourage them to hatch. They hear other birds and want to get to them. 'crosses fingers' There's still time for them to make it. Go eggs, go!


	20. Helping the Plants

Jackie; So here I am, at 3am, writing fanfiction and planning my Nashville trip. I won some recording time at a studio in Nashville while competing in a contest here near my home town. I can't wait. I think it will be lots of fun.

DISCLAIMER; I don't own trigun.

……………………………………

Vash was quiet all morning. Even after they picked up Millie and Wolfwood he was quiet. Wolfwood kept eyeing him like he was a time bomb getting ready to explode. Meryl had convinced Wolfwood to take the backseat next to him instead of her. Wolfwood didn't look happy about it. As Meryl drove Millie leaned over and whispered into Meryl's ear, "Did you guys have a fight, Sempai?"

"I, well…" Meryl started, "Sort of."

"What happened?" Millie asked.

"I'll tell you later," Meryl answered.

"Okay," Millie said.

They spent the rest of the rip in absolute silence.

They arrived at Mira's house around noon. The three other passengers nearly leapt out of the car to escape the tension. They had to hold back from running as Mira opened the door to let them in. Mira greeted them warmly, but as Vash approached, even Mira's mood seemed to falter. Knives looked at his twin, blinked, and said, "Rough night?"

Meryl winced waiting for the answer, but Vash merely shook his head no. Knives shook his head and said, "Well, then come in. We have a lot to discuss."

The group sat around the table and Knives opened the envelope Vash had retrieved. Knives reached inside and pulled out some of the papers.

"These are my accounts," Knives started, "Over my long life I have amassed a great deal of human wealth. I did this mainly to fund my hunt of you, Vash."

Knives put down forty different account statements, and let the others gape at the large balances on them. Knives let it sink in before saying, "Makes the bounty on you look small, doesn't it."

"That's for sure," Vash breathed out in awe.

"I'm splitting it with you," Knives said, "Six equal shares."

The whole table gasped. Knives pulled out a second set of papers and said, "You can do with it what you wish, but I ask you to consider this…"

Knives set out two diagrams and pointed to one of a sister angel. Knives explained, "I've had a great deal of time to study our sisters, Vash."

If one was extremely lucky. One in a million people may see the forebody of a plant angel once in a generation. Most likely, being human, a person had absolutely no idea what existed on the other side of the glass. To see the full angel form in complete detail was a fascination to every person at the table besides the two brothers.

The fore body looked human with massive wings. From there on it was almost unrecognizable. A mass of tangled baby-like bodies with small undeveloped wings and no visible head, extended from its back. After that was a second pair of adult sized human-looking legs. Extending from the second pair of legs like a misshapen tail was a large bulbous appendage. This final portion looked like the third section of a wasp's body, sharpening to a point much like a stinger, and was responsible for half of the plants size.

"Plant babies!" Millie chirped pointing at the baby-like structures.

Knives laughed lightly and said, "In a sense. They are called buds. Most of our sisters are ripe with hundreds of buds. Some of the plants simply cannot survive outside of the bulbs. Those need to be moved to new plant bulbs, and, I'm hoping, that some of these children will have the potential to be free born. Then I can teach them all they need to know to terraform this poor environment."

"New plants," Meryl breathed, "I'm sure I don't have to say what that will mean for this world."

The second diagram seemed to be a picture of a plant bulb and the necessary support structure. Knives nodded to Meryl. He pulled out a folded sheet of paper and unfolded it. He laid out the large blue print as he said, "This factory, which I plan to build, will help me do this work. It is essential for me to have you, Vash, to help… I had planned for us to do this alone, but now that I know there are at least some humans worth trusting, I hope you all will help us too."

Everyone stared at Knives, then back at each other. Millie was the first to pipe up and say, "Count me in!"

The rest agreed.

…………………………

Jackie; I get the description of a plant angel from the comic book on which the cartoon is based. Gotta go practice singing!


	21. The Ride Home

Jackie: So I pumped the incubator up a degree, which didn't help the 12/15(that's the date the eggs were collected) hatch. However, everything from 12/17-12/20 has been hatching. 'Passes out cigars' I'm a momma!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Trigun

…………………………………

Meryl sat beside Millie again. This time Millie was driving. Meryl didn't feel like doing much of anything at the moment. Except for a few 'yeah's and 'uh-huh's Vash had been totally silent during the meeting. To make matters worse, he had insisted at staying behind at Mira's house to talk with Knives. Meryl's eyebrows knitted with worry. _Did I go too far last night?_

"It will be alright, Sempai," The ever observant Millie cheeped, "I'm sure Mr. Vash is just thinking about it."

"Yeah," Nick said lighting a cigarette, "From what you said after we left, the Needle noggin deserved it anyway. I got no problems with being honorable and all, but he shouldn't tease you either. That first night you described was pretty steamy. It sounds like he would have done it then."

Meryl blushed. She couldn't believe she had bawled out the entire story to Millie right in front of Wolfwood. She rubbed her temples lightly and said, "I don't get it either. That night he said the only thing stopping him was that we were drunk, now the only thing stopping him is morals? What's next? If he does ask, am I going to spend my married life celibate for whatever reason he can conjure at the time? I just wish he'd be strait with me."

Nick took another puff and said, "Well, that's Vash for you. You never know just what is going through that spiky head of his. I wouldn't worry about it."

"Yeah," Millie chimed, "Besides, when you weren't looking, he kept staring at you. He's smitten, I can tell. He's just trying to work things out in his head."

"Great," Meryl sighed, "I need 'working-out'."

"Hey!" Wolfwood said brightly, "I think you need a drink!"

…………..

Back at Mira's house...

Vash and Knives sat at the table staring each other down. Knives had asked Mira to leave the room for a moment. Vash set down his cup of coffee and said, "Look, I think it's a good idea. I'm not arguing that, but how are we going to keep the free born plants a secret? I have a lot of faith in humans, but I just don't think that they are ready for this."

"I see what you mean," Knives said with a heavy sigh, "My plan never included humans before."

Vash nodded and said, "I still think we should do it, but we have to be careful."

"Agreed," Knives said, "Is that all you wanted to talk about?"

"No," Vash said quietly, "Well, you know more about human physiology than I do because of your… experiments."

Knives winced at the mention of it. He growled and said, "Your point?"

"I was, uh, wondering," Vash said, "Are the two races compatible?"

Knives smiled and said, "You want to know if you and your short girl can mate?"

"Yes," Vash said with a blush.

Knives smiled at his younger twin and said, "Much to my disgust at the time, I did do a few reproduction related experiments. I artificially inseminated ten females."

Vash had to fight to keep from calling Knives a bastard, but he had to remember that that was the old Knives. The edge in Knives' voice while he was speaking showed that he felt great guilt for it. Knives lowered his head and said, "And ten babies were born five months later."

"What happened to them?" Vash asked.

"I ran a few tests, to see if they were viable," Knives continued, "That they could continue to reproduce. They can. The human race and the plant race both have 26 chromosomes, and it seems they line up perfectly."

"But that would suggest…" Vash started.

"That we are not another race," Knives finished, "Just two very different breeds of the same species. At the time I dismissed it as a fluke, but now it seems more testing is in order. I'm going to need some of your blood. I want to analyze just how close they are."

"Knives," Vash started, "You never said what happened to the children… YOUR children."

Knives hung his head and said, "Because I don't want to talk about it."

"You KILLED them?" Vash breathed.

"Yes," Knives muttered.

"But they were your blood," Vash said.

"I know, but they were also half-human," Knives said, "At the time I couldn't accept that. If I had it all to do again…"

Knives wiped away some tears. He seemed to be prone to crying lately. He was trying to hold them back, but they kept coming. He began to shudder with sobs as he said, "I don't deserve her do I? I don't deserve to live, let alone live happily."

Vash shook his head and said, "You have a very long life ahead of you to make up for what you have done. Start over. You can do things that will save ten times as many people as you ever hurt. I wish I knew a way to undo what you did, but I don't, so you are just going to have to live with it. Try each day to do something good for this world… Does Mira know?"

"I showed her everything," Knives said, lowering his head.

"Everything?" Vash breathed.

"Everything," Knives nodded.

Vash sat back in his chair. _Everything._ He didn't know what impressed him more; the fact that Knives had changed enough to trust a human that much, or the fact that Mira seemed to still love him. Vash lifted his hand up and scratched the back of his head.

"Wow," Vash muttered, "Well, then I guess she must really love you. My advice is that you accept that, accept her, and accept your happiness. Your plan is going to save new people every day. It's going to save our race too. Just try to make good for everyone you hurt."

Knives nodded slowly, put on a weak smile and said, "You must be anxious to get back to Meryl."

"Actually," Vash said with a blush, "I have one more thing to ask."

"Yeah, Vash?" Knives asked.

"Can you teach me how to terraform too?" Vash asked, "I want to make something very special."

………………………………

Jackie: 'sings' one little, two little, three little chickens! EVERYBODY! Four little, five little… hey, don't look at me that way.

Sorry this chapter took so long. I've been busy with the chickens and the new semester is getting ready to start. 


	22. Marry Me

Jackie: And now the Vash x Meryl fluff you've all been waiting for! FLUFF WARNING! FLUFF WARNING.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Trigun.

……………………………….

Meryl watched Vash talk with Knives and the construction manager. To start a new life, both Vash and Knives had dyed their hair brown and grown it out. They both sported beards and mustaches as well, which were a real pain to dye she'd heard. She liked the new look, and she would have told Vash so if he would talk to her.

It had been five months. The plant was under construction, and Vash had moved in with Knives and Mira. He said he had 'special' work to do, and that he would move back in with her when he was finished, but she was beginning to doubt that. Meryl growled as she watched a pretty young saloon girl park her car and walk up to the group of men. She had visited the first time saying that she could hear the noise for the construction all the way in town, ten iles away. Since then she came almost every day to talk to Vash and Knives.

Meryl ground her teeth, turned and ripped open her lunch box, mercilessly tearing into the food. She knew what was happening behind her anyway. The girl was flirting with both men rather shamelessly. Meryl had no doubt that Knives was sickened by her, but Vash seemed to absolutely love the attention.

"Damn that man!" Meryl growled.

"He only has eyes for you," Mira said across from her, "Don't be so hard on him."

"Yeah?" Meryl snapped, "Then why has he been avoiding me for the past FIVE MONTHS?!"

"Oh, sempai," Millie chirped, "Don't worry, Mira told me all about it! Vash is--"

Mira clamped a hand over Millie's mouth and shushed her.

"Don't tell her!" Mira growled.

"Tell me what?" Meryl asked.

"Look it's supposed to be a surprise," Mira answered, "So just have a little faith okay?"

"I," Meryl started, "I supposed, but just how long am I going to have to wait? All I get told all the time is, wait for him, follow him, wait for him."

"It will pay off soon," Mira said and leaned back in her special chair.

Knives had bought the chair for her a month ago when her legs started to swell. In normal pregnancies it was a bad sign, but Knives said it was normal. He bought her a big comfy chair and insisted on her sitting in it most of the day with her feet up. He had also had a refrigerator truck paid for to carry a stock of Mira's favorite frozen treats to snack on it all day, and if she wanted anything that they didn't have on hand… The whole project stopped so that Knives himself could fetch it for her. Knives was devoted to her. It made Meryl insanely jealous. Why couldn't Vash dote like that?

The baby was due any day. They had made up a story about Mira not being one of those people who show early to account for the lost four months of gestation. Everyone thought her large swollen belly was perfectly normal. Mira put her plate of food on the top of her belly like it was a table and said, "I mean it, Meryl, it will pay off soon, so please go easy on him. He is working very hard for you."

Meryl nodded numbly and went back to eating her lunch.

……………….

Later that day….

Meryl, Millie, and Wolfwood were getting out of the car by their house when Vash, Knives, and Mira pulled up. Vash tossed Meryl a large heavy garment bag and said, "I'll be back in two hours. Get ready for me, short girl."

To further his point he slid his new sunglasses down to the point of his nose and gave her a look that made her knees feel weak. He waved as they sped of and yelled, "Two hours! Don't disappoint me!"

Meryl growled, "Who does he think he IS! Five months without a word, and now I need to be ready for HIM in two hours!"

Meryl growled and muttered all the way up to the shower. Millie wiped her brow and said, "Whew! For a minute there I thought she wasn't going to do it!"

"As mad as she seems I'll bet she is quite relieved to be going out with Vash tonight," Wolfwood said and turned to Millie with a cattish smile, "'Course you know this means we will have the house all to ourselves."

Millie blushed and played coy, "Why, Mr. Priest! Whatever do you mean?"

"Come here and I'll show ya!" Wolfwood said and snatched the big girl into his arms…

………….

Meryl gave herself one last approving glance. The shimmering lavender satin worked well with the color of her eyes. The dress was short, barely covering the top of her best pair of silk thigh-highs and the garters that held them up. Meryl found herself tugging at the hem to make sure she was properly covered. Spaghetti straps held the dress up, which was good because an inch lower and… Well, it fit well, besides the fact that it looked more like a 'little silk nightie' than a dress.

Meryl wrapped herself in the large satin and silk shawl that came with it. That seemed to cover everything. It looked like she was trying to cover up with a sheet after a risqué encounter. Meryl shook her head and put on her earrings as she stepped into a pair of matching 4 inch pumps. Meryl wobbled a bit on them. She hadn't worn this kind of clothing in quite some time, and had gotten used to her comfortable boots. One final touch up to her makeup and she headed out into the hallway.

Meryl was surprised to see that Vash was already there. Millie and Wolfwood were no where in sight. Vash looked up and her and said, "w-w-w-wWOWIE!"

He nearly jumped up the entire flight of stairs, giving her that famous lecherous look with his tongue hanging out as he panted heavily. Before he could wrap his arms around her, his head met with a swift left hook. KAPOW!

"If you think it is going to be THAT easy after giving me the cold shoulder for FIVE MONTHS, you've got another thing commin', bub!" Meryl snapped as she walked past him.

For emphasis she added a sway to her hips to both tease him and tell him what SHE was going to withhold for once. Vash smirked behind her, when she cast him a glance over her shoulder, he was still at the top of the stairs. For the first time she saw something in his eyes that looked fierce and hungry. _Vash looks… fierce?_ He looked like a starving man who was watching a fine, FINE, meal wave in front of his nose. Vash flipped back a stray lock of his growing hair and walked down the stair case, deliberately slow.

He got closer, and closer, reflexively Meryl found herself stepping back as her heart pounded in her chest. Where was all this sudden confidence coming from in her usually goofy, shy Vash? She eeped slightly as she found herself backed up against the living room wall. Vash smiled down at her, and his eyes flashed like a thunderstorm. In contrast to his eyes he gently took her hand in his, placing a kiss on her knuckles.

"As you wish," He said in a rich silky voice that made her shiver.

He released her and walked to the door. Instantly, his goofy smirk returned as he said, "Your carriage awaits!"

He opened the door for her and she walked over to it. She looked out the door and gaped. A fancy, velvet seated carriage for two was sitting there. The driver smiled and waved to them just as the sky thundered. Rain was not common on this planet, but when it rained… IT POURED.

Vash shook his fist at the sky and yelled, "OH MAN! WHY CAN'T ANYTHING GO MY WAY?"

"It's okay Mr. Saverem," The driver said pulling a poncho out from under his seat.

He threw it on and started unlatching a black, u-shaped box attached to the back of the carriage. He unfolded a large canvass top supported by three bars which flipped up from the side of the seats. He finished just in time for the downpour to start.

"There!" He said, "The satellite called for rain so I came prepared!"

Vash and Meryl dove in, and Vash handed the driver a large lump of money. Vash smiled and said, "For being so well prepared! You really saved my bacon. I'm going to recommend you to everyone!"

"Thanks, Mr. Saverem!" The driver said as he stuffed the wad of money beneath his poncho and into his pocket, "You call me for a ride anytime, sir!"

"I will," Vash said, "You got the map I dropped off at your office, right?"

"It's all right here!" The man said and tapped his head.

With that they were off. It wasn't going to be the scenic ride Vash had hoped for, but this would do. Besides, he was not about to try to get Meryl to wait until tomorrow. He rubbed his head. _I don't think I could take another left hook!_

Meryl looked at Vash. He was simply stunning tonight in his jet black tux. It laid open, showing off an aqua vest and bowtie. Gold buttons shimmered with the flash of lightening up the front of his vest, and he had on a matching pair of gold cufflinks. _Richard Saverem…_

Both Knives and Vash had taken Saverem as a last name. Knives Millions was now Tristan Saverem, and Vash the Stampede was now Richard Saverem. It had taken her a while to get used to calling them that when she was talking with the construction workers. Luckily, in the process, she hadn't let it slip who they really were. Something flashed outside that caught her attention. _Was that a tree?_

The lightening flashed again and she gasped. They were surrounded by trees! Vash smiled and said, "I've been working with Knives. The first tree was, um, unsuccessful, but, as you can see, I got it eventually."

"THIS, is what you've been doing for the past five months?" Meryl asked breathlessly.

"Yeah," Vash said, grateful to the darkness for hiding his blush, "And there is more."

"M-more?" Meryl stuttered.

The driver came to a halt under a large tree and said, "We're here, you sure you want out here in the rain?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Vash said with a smile as he got out.

"But, Vash," Meryl said, "There is nothing here."

"Looks can be deceiving," Vash said with a smirk, "Come on."

Meryl got out and smiled weakly at the driver. The driver shrugged and said, "You know, I had no idea this forest was out here, and you two own it?"

"Yep, sure do!" Vash chimed.

"Lucky dogs," The man whistled and snapped the reigns. When the carriage disappeared into the night Vash turned on his heal and motioned for Meryl to follow.

"The tree coverage should keep us mostly dry while we walk," Vash said, "It's not far."

"You want me to go walking through the underbrush in spiked heals and silk stockings???" Meryl asked.

Vash looked her up and down. He smiled and said, "SILK stockings, eh? You are absolutely right."

Without another word he scooped her up into his arms and walked into the forest. Meryl was too stunned to say anything. Vash set her down at the side of a cliff at the entrance to a cave. Vash smirked and said, "It's a good thing and carved this under an overhang or it would be flooded by now."

"So now you expect me to go spelunking in heals?" Meryl asked arching a brow.

"I formed it, remember?" Vash asked, "It has a nice even walking path."

Meryl walked in and said, "Well, you should have added lights, I can't see a--"

Meryl heard a click and a flashlight light turned on behind her. Vash smirked and said, "Some lost technology I keep around. I'm Vash the Stampede after all, I think of EVERYTHING!"

Vash started laughing triumphantly… KAPOW.

"OOOooowwwieee," Vash whined.

Her right hook was harder than her left…

Meryl laughed lightly and hooked Vash's free arm. He led her into the cave. They traveled along the path, which leaned slightly upward. The sound of rain faded behind them as the came to a left turn. Before turning it Vash smiled and said, "Close your eyes."

"What?" Meryl asked.

"Just do it," Vash sighed.

Meryl closed her eyes and she heard the flashlight click off. Vash lead her around the corner. Positioned her and said, "Now open them."

Meryl opened her eyes a gasped. As best she could describe it, it was the inside a giant geode. Billions of purple amethyst crystals lined the walls, twinkling in the soft candle light. A table for two sat in the middle of the room and a second path could be seen on the other end of the room. Vash bowed lightly and asked, "Milady, may I get your chair for you?"

"S-sure," Meryl stuttered.

Vash slid the chair out for her and slid it under her as she sat. He sat down across from her and suddenly looked nervous. She heard a drawer slide out and he glanced down, franticly reading something. He put on his lusty look from before as he started to say, "Meryl, you look--"

"What did you just read?" Meryl asked with a smile, trying to hide her amusement.

"What?" Vash asked nervously, "N-nothing, I--"

"Bull," She said.

She got up and ran around the table pulling on the drawer. He clamped his fingers over hers, trying to fend her off.

"AH!" Vash eeped, "No, no, REALLY, it's nothing."

"Did you take notes or something?" Meryl laughed, "Let me see!"

Vash sighed and whined, "Okay, but don't laugh."

Meryl slid open the drawer which was filled with dime novels. On top of them was a list. Meryl skipped the list and picked up one of the novels waving it in front of him. She snickered as she asked, "You read ROMANCE NOVELS???"

"It was Mira's idea!" Vash whined, "She said the best way to know what a woman wants is to read those things."

Meryl flipped open a page and started reading, "He crushed his lips against hers, robbing her of breath. Her heart pounded between her ample…"

Meryl started laughing again, and Vash tried to grab the list and hide it. For once, Meryl was quicker than the Humanoid Typhoon. She snatched it up and started reading, " 1) drop off the dress, 2) pick up tux and get ready, 3) go to carriage rental and ride to her house to pick her up…"

The list drug on, "15) ask her to close her eyes so you can surprise her, 16) get chair for her and say something charming, 17) tell her how beautiful she is, 18) make small talk periodically telling her all of the many ways she is special, 19) when dinner is done ask her to…"

Meryl stopped. Her jaw dropped and her eyes went wide. She stuttered, "Ask her t-to…"

"Marry me," Vash finished, and pulled out a little black box from his jacket, "I guess it was kinda stupid to write a list… I just wanted…"

"You wanted it to be special…" Meryl breathed, "Oh, Vash… You did all this, uh, 'research', for me, and planned this whole evening for months."

"Yeah," Vash said, still thumbing the little black box.

Meryl dropped the list and threw herself into his lap. She planted a bone melting kiss on him as she started to cry. He broke the kiss and looked at her questioningly. He opened the box and asked, "Is that a yes?"

"Yes," Meryl breathed and held her hand out where he could slip the ring on her finger.

Now Vash was starting to cry. He was shaking so badly Meryl practically had to put the ring on herself.

………………………

Jackie: TA-DA, longest chapter yet, I think. Hope you enjoyed! 'gets back to her chickens'


	23. Twins

Jackie: I am SO sorry this chapter took so long. I have been busy with school and chickens and all. I will try to post a chapter a week at least until I'm done.

Hope: WHY HAVEN'T YOU UPDATED ROOMATES YET???? twitches

And AHEM when Is 'Tasting Gunpowder' going to be updated? glares accusingly

You guys take even longer than me!

Chapter 22;

"Triston!" Mira called out over the construction noise, "Triston, where are you?"

Mira climbed up over some cleared rocks the boys planned to reuse in the landscaping. This was terrifically difficult in her state. She got up on the biggest rock and yelled at the top of her lungs, "TELL TRISTON SAVEREM HIS WIFE IS GONNA KILL HIM IF--"

"If I what?" His deep voice sounded from below her, "You shouldn't be up there, come down immediately."

"I wouldn't be up here, if you would listen to the two way radio you are supposed to be carrying!" Mira snapped, "I -- OOOooowww."

Mira crumbled to her knees, and, in an instant, Knives climbed up the rubble. He scooped her up into his arms and asked, "What's wrong? Did you hurt yourself climbing?"

Knives couldn't tell from below her, but now that he was close to her he could see that she was covered in sweat. Her face contorted in pain, and he saw the muscles of her stomach clench down beneath her shirt. She looked up at him, but didn't need to say a word to tell him what was wrong. Knives grabbed his megaphone from his work belt and turned toward the construction.

"SOMEONE TELL RICHARD SAVEREM HIS SISTER-IN-LAW IS IN LABOR!" Knives shouted, "I'M TAKING HER TO THE HOSPITAL!"

Almost all of the nearby construction stopped and a few men cheered and scattered to spread the news. Knives scooped Mira up into his arms and jumped down of the small mountain of rocks. He ran as fast as his legs could take him to their car.

…………………..

"Oh my gosh!" Millie squealed, "Isn't this exciting?"

The group sat in the waiting room. No one was allowed in with Mira except for Knives. You would have thought by the way Vash was pacing that HE was the father. Wolfwood snickered and said, "It's a good thing I married them before the baby was born."

"Why should that matter?" Meryl snapped and Wolfwood, "That's so outdated. If they love the child and each other, why should it matter if they are married or not?"

"Wow," Wolfwood said mockingly, "I always thought of you as the conservative type, Meryl. Maybe you'd like to call off your wedding and show the rest of us up-tight types that you don't need any such formalities."

Meryl's aura suddenly burned with rage, but she calmed down and said, "You're lucky that I don't want to ruin this occasion with a fight."

Wolfwood chuckled in spite of himself and said, "Hey needle-nogging, stop pacing or you'll wear away a spot on the floor."

"She's having a hard time," Vash said, "I hear a lot of screaming."

"You're hearing is better than ours," Meryl started, "But I doubt there's anything to worry about. Labor is often accompanied by lots of blood and screaming."

Vash lost all color in his cheeks and said, "B-b-blood?"

"Oh, quit being such a wuss, _Richard_," Wolfwood mocked.

"Now, now you guys!" Millie chirped, "That's enough."

"Speaking of getting married," Meryl said eyeing Millie and Wolfwood.

Millie blushed wildly, but Wolfwood just shrugged. He smiled at his big girl and said, "What do you think, Big Girl? Wanna get hitched? Maybe if we can get the tux and dress fast enough we could make it a double wedding and get hitched on the same day as Meryl and Va… I mean Richard."

"Wow," Meryl scoffed, "There's a proposal if I ever heard one."

But Millie didn't seem to care. She grabbed Wolfwood up, crushing him in her arms and said, "Yes, yes, oh yes!"

Wolfwood coughed out, "Okay now honey, please stop crushing me."

"I guess that means we're having pudding for the reception dessert," Vash laughed.

"I guess so!" Meryl laughed.

Just then Knives walked through the door, cradling two bundles in his arms. He smiled softly looking down on them and breathed, "I knew she was big but… twins…"

Vash was the first one there peaking at the two sleeping faces. Two very different little faces. Vash blinked and said, "They don't look anything alike."

Wolfwood was right beside the Vash trying to push him out of the way as he said, "So, twins aren't always identical, Vash! Lemme hold one."

"HEY! They are my nephews! Or nieces?" Vash asked.

"One of each," Knives breathed disbelievingly.

"I want to hold the boy!" both Vash and Wolfwood said at the same time.

"I said it first!" Wolfwood growled.

"Well, he's MY nephew!" Vash retorted.

"Well, neither of you know which one is which so how about just holding the one in front of you?" Knives growled impatiently, "Richard you get the right, Nick, you get the left."

Knives pushed the babies into their arms before they could protest. He glared at them and said, "I'm going back to Mira. The nurses will be here soon to take the babies into the nursery. Honestly, how do you girls put up with these two?"

With that Knives was gone and the remaining four passed the sleeping infants around to look at them until the nurse arrived.

…………………..

Jackie: A double wedding next chapter and then the round up. Unless you guys would like one final plot twist, perhaps a gung-ho-gun crashing the wedding? Let me know by reviewing!


	24. The Double Wedding

Jackie: 'gently caresses a sword from her collection of exotic weapons and smiles at hope' Hmmmm, flat tire huh? Writer's block? Maybe I can inspire you? 'splits a hair on the razor sharp blade' hehehehe, just kiddin, hurry up would ya?

Okay, so I got three votes for plot twist, one non-vote, and no votes against. At least, that was the tally when last I looked, so plot twist it is!... After the wedding. For now, a dose of mild fluff.

A big hello to my new reviewer, Robert!

Chapter 24;

Meryl and Millie sat beside each other in front of a large mirror as a team of cosmetologists worked on their hair, nails, and makeup. Millie was picking at her dress nervously. It was the first time Meryl had seen Millie look nervous.

"Something wrong?" Meryl asked.

"No," Millie answered simply, "Everything is perfect. I'm just getting a little impatient."

Meryl chuckled. That made more sense. Millie was impatient, not nervous. As for Meryl, she couldn't wait. This was it. _He can't leave me behind any more…_

Mira had long since been ready. She was the matron of honor for both weddings, and Vash and Wolfwood would stand as each other's best man since Knives had refused the duty. They understood why. He wanted to be free to care for his kids if need be.

Millie's gown was simple, but pretty in that 'just enough' sort of way. Nick had tried to make her buy a fancy dress but she had insisted on that one, and it suited her. Meryl's dress was a large step up. It was tight through the body, flaring at the hips, with a long train and princess sleeves. It was sprinkled with pearls and decked out with embroidery and lace.

Mira had originally wanted to dress a step plainer than both Meryl and Millie. When she saw what Millie picked she had said, "Well, I guess I'll settle for between the two dresses."

Mira hadn't wanted to distract the audience from the brides, but finding a colored dress that didn't look somewhat sharper than Millie's dress had proven too difficult. However, Mira had to admit that the dress looked a lot better on Millie than it had on the hanger. Some dresses were just that way. On the hanger 'who would wear _that'_, and on the person '_oh…'_ Mira wondered what the boys were doing about now.

…………….

"Triston!" Vash called, holding the soaked infant as far away from himself as he could, "Triston, your daughter needs, uh, cleaning."

"So change her!" Knives answered, "I'm busy with Gabriel!"

"She's not my kid!" Vash whined.

"Oh give her here!" Nick said snatching the baby from Vash, "Geeze you're hopeless. I hope Meryl doesn't want kids."

Vash went pale. Knives finish changing Gabriel and turned to Vash. Knives smirked and bounced Gabriel lightly on his knee. He looked up at Vash and asked, "Don't tell me you haven't thought about kids? If you haven't you had better start. It has been my experience that it is VERY easy for our kind to impregnate our mates. It wouldn't surprise me if Meryl is pregnant already."

"She can't be," Vash said defensively, "We haven't… I mean… You know."

"You mean you haven't?" Nick started.

"Not even once?" Knives asked just as breathlessly.

"I wouldn't before I married her," Vash said, "It's not right."

"Well, aren't you mister honorable," Nick laughed and finished changing Angela.

"How did you do it?" Knives asked, still sounding quite astonished, "I couldn't have possibly kept my hands off Mira that long."

Wolfwood laughed and said, "I think the better question is how you kept _Meryl_ off of _you_ that long."

Knives and Nick both laughed, which got both babies laughing as well. Vash blushed wildly and then snapped, "Hey, at least I have some morals!"

"Yes, yes, very noble of you," Knives said trying to keep from laughing more.

"It is quite the feet of moral stamina, I'll give you that," Nick added.

"It's about that time," Vash said, "Isn't it?"

"It is," Nick said, handing Angela to Knives, "Let's go get our insurance girls."

…………………………..

Vash had wanted Nick to be the priest that married him to Meryl, but having him as best man was good enough. They stood at the head of the isle, looking over the enormous crowd. Most of the town and most of the out of town construction crew had come to the wedding. Vash wondered if they had contracted enough meals for the reception. Vash's ponderings were halted as the bridal procession song started.

It wasn't going to be much, just Mira followed by the girls walking each other down the isle. Millie's entire family had arrived two days ago, but Meryl's father had refused to come. It had sent Meryl into tears, and Millie, dear Millie, asked her father if it would be okay for her to walk with Meryl down the isle and have him stand to give them both away. He was delighted by the idea and Millie's sweet gesture. Her father stood to the right of the makeshift stage Vash and Nick stood upon, awaiting his line.

Mira was gorgeous as usual, in a deep green satin dress that was tight through the chest and flared down in two layers to her ankles. The sleeves were short and ruffled, and she was wearing her hair over one shoulder with little white flowers in her hair.

'_Damn…' Knives said across the link_

'_Hey, I don't need to hear that right now, and I REALLY didn't need the visual you gave me either'_

'_OH! Oops, sorry. I'll try to control myself'_

A few seconds later…

'_Damn, damn, DAMN, we are so leaving the reception early' Knives said with another attached visual_

'_Enough visuals Knives! She's my SISTER-in-law. I am not supposed to see her that way.'_

'_Oops… Sorry again.'_

Vash would have given him a quick lecture but his train of thought derailed at the sight that walked down the isle. Meryl was stunning in her beautiful dress and silky white vale. Like a goddess, descendant from heaven, she radiated an unearthly glow as she flowed down the isle. She was so beautiful, so perfect, so… so… Vash began to cry a little, and Nick quickly jabbed him in the ribs.

"Keep it together, needle-noggin," Nick whispered, "The girls are supposed to be the ones who cry at these things."

"I can't help it," Vash sniffled, "I mean… LOOK at her…"

Nick smiled as girls finally reached them. The priest behind them began his sermon.

"Who gives these women away?" The priest asked.

"My wife and I do," Millie's father said and then took his place in the crowd.

Vash found it hard to think as the priest went through the vows. He was thankful the vows were broken into small one-line repeaters. He was not in a mental state to repeat anymore than one line at a time. Meryl couldn't help smiling up at her teary-eyed typhoon. He really was hopeless.

Millie was sobbing almost uncontrollably as she and Nick went through the vows. Nick kept patting her hands lightly, trying to calm her down. Well, at least enough that her vows could be understood between sobs.

Then the moment they were waiting for.

"You may now kiss your brides…"

'_Damn'_

'_Enough with the visuals, Vash!'_

…………………..

Jackie: Plot twist coming in the next chapter. Are you ready for it??? ;)


	25. The Twist

Jackie: 'frowns' No reviews from Kawaii. Did I loose ya, babe?

The little chickens are doing well. I'm keeping them in a pen indoors so they won't get cold. So are the dogs, the cat, the goats, the mice, the snake, the fish and the chinchillas.

DISCLAIMER: In case you've forgotten. I don't own Trigun.

Chapter 25:

The reception was a big hit. By the third refill of toasting glasses some people had given up and where now toasting with entire bottles of champagne. When the dancing started, almost no one stayed off the dance floor for long. Vash watched the crowd, waiting for everyone to take their eyes of them. Soon, very soon, he and Meryl would make their escape. He held her hand the whole time, waiting for the coast to be clear.

Just as they were headed for the double doors a series of explosions went off outside. The party immediately halted, and in seconds Knives and Nick were standing to either side of Vash. Mira had already gone to her babies and was hovering over them to shield them from danger. Millie and Meryl had found her side almost as quickly as she had gotten there. Vash started to the doors but the doors exploded inward throwing the trio backwards.

Vash, Nick, and Knives stood coughing out the dust that had flown in with the explosion. As the dust in front of them cleared a form of a woman appeared. Knives took in a shuttering breath.

"Monique," Knives ground out.

"My lord," She cried, "I knew they must be keeping you against your will from us. I am here to rescue you."

"I don't need rescuing," Knives said sternly as he walked to her, "I am dissolving the…"

Knives looked around at the guests and remembered that none of them knew who he and Vash were. He grabbed Monique by the sleeve and drug her out after saying, "You really over did the fireworks. I know I had I wanted the show to be big, but do you think you and your company could leave the town in one piece??? Nothing to worry about folks! I'll handle this!"

Knives drug the woman outside and out of view. Vash turned to the guests and said, "Wow, we're NEVER going with lowest bid entertainer ever again. We asked for a fireworks display, not a bombardment! I'd better go help my bro!"

Everyone but the girls chuckled. They knew all too well that this wasn't planned. Nick walked over to the girls and tried to reassure them.

"I'm sure Knives can handle Monique," Nick said, "Remember the gung-ho-guns worship him."

"I'd still like to see what is going on," Mira said gathering an infant on each hip.

"Me too," the insurance girls said at the same time.

Before Nick could stop them the girls were out the door.

Outside……….

"That's right," Knives said, "I am dissolving the gung-ho-guns. I have no use for you anymore. I seem to have… miscalculated the worth of your race."

"But it can't be!" Monique cried, "You're not wrong. We're slime, and you are a superior being!"

"That's enough, Monique, it's over," Knives scolded.

Monique stared down at her feet. Her Fire red hair and black cowgirl hat concealed the expression on her face. Her tan duster swayed softly in the breeze and her hands twitched slightly over the many explosives tied to her hips and thighs. She smiled sourly and said, "I understand… You've been brainwashed!"

Just then a rumble sounded from behind them and a huge flat bed truck with a large covered payload appeared seemingly from no where. Driving it was Allegro, a green-haired young man, with white eyes. He was yet another of the gung-ho-guns.

"I apologize, in advance," Monique said, "For any discomfort you will feel, My lord."

The cover dropped revealing a small version of the plant bulb. This one was different in some way. It had a weird glow about it and had additional circuitry all over the face of the glass. Knives took a step back and said to Vash, "Run… RUN AWAY!"

Knives and Vash turned on their heals and started to run, then a blue light enveloped them. They were frozen in their tracks. Monique smiled and said, "We will help you,

My Lord, we will make you yourself again."

Mira and Meryl jumped out from where they were hiding, leaving the children with Millie behind a piece of rubble. Mira was the first to speak.

"Unhand my husband!" Mira roared.

"Your what?" Monique asked in a disgusted voice, "You brother has taken a _human_ mate, My Lord?"

"Yes, and so has he," Mira answered, "Meryl here is Vash's wife, and _I_ am Mrs. Knives Millions. Now UNHAND MY HUSBAND!"

"No," Monique breathed out, "It's worse than I thought! What did they do to you???"

The light changed and the brothers disappeared, reappearing inside the glass bulb. Apparently the transfer had knocked them out. Monique growled and said, "Disgusting wretches. We will return when our master is well again, and then you will pay for this blasphemy."

Monique jumped into the truck, and Mira ran after them. She could not reach the truck in time, and would have been run over if Nick had not shown up and pulled her to safety.

"Man that was close," Nick breathed, "Knives would have had my head if I let you get smashed."

Mira stood silently and went to her screaming babies. They never liked it when their father had to leave to go to the store; she guessed that they equated this situation to that one. She cradled them each on one hip and started numbly walking down the street. She had a look of pure fire in her eyes.

"Wait!" Millie cried, "Where are you going?"

"I'm dropping the children off with a babysitter," Mira said flatly, "And then I am going to get my husband back."

Though no one knew if Mira had ever held a gun, the fierceness of her voice left little doubt that she was serious. Meryl yelled after her, "HEY! They have MY husband too ya know!"

Nick and Millie glanced at each other and sighed. Nick rubbed his head and said, "Well, let's go get armed, honey."

"Yes, dear," Millie chirped.

………………………..

Jackie: You like? You don't like? Review!


	26. Warped Reality

Jackie: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. You all know what a sucker I am for good reviews. I'm going for one hundred reviews on this one, so help me out!

…………………

Chapter 26:

Monique's footsteps caused a slight echo in the nearly abandoned underground ship. Most of the Gung-ho-guns had dispersed to the wind when their master did not return. Her lips curled with disgust. After all their master had given them, over half of them had abandoned him to whatever fate had befallen him.

Not her, and not her companion with the wolfish eyes. He followed her everywhere, but he never said a word. They had become Gung-ho-guns at roughly the same time. Not that she cared.

She was Monique the leveler, because she could level cities with her knowledge of explosives and weak points in structures. She could also surgically level a single building crammed up against four others without leaving so much as a scratch on the surrounding structures. She was an instrument of righteous fury, and did not care about some pup shadowing her footsteps.

That 'pup' sniffed the air around her as he followed. He was the wolf, known for his unchallenged supremacy as a tracker, trapper, and vicious instincts to kill. He cared not for the cause, other than Monique believed in it, and it gave him an excuse to hunt and kill. Knives had recognized this early and made a deal with the wolf.

"Give over your free will and you shall be able to hunt and kill to your contentment and," Knives had smiled, "I shall give Monique to you once I return with my brother."

She was his obsession. He loved the fire-red color of her hair, her deep green eyes, her body, her lips, her scent, everything about her. He had taken to following her around, and she did not seem to mind. She had better not mind because eventually she would have no choice. Knives would make Monique his. A smile curved his lips. _Mine…_

Monique turned a corner and walked into the room they were keeping the twins in. The containment field flickered at every mental attempt to escape. She walked to the console and started inputting data. She would warp their reality until her master was returned to normal and his twin was converted to the cause.

……………

Knives found himself in a baron wasteland with the twin suns beating down on him. He knew it was an illusion. He had programmed the container himself. He cursed himself inwardly for his thoroughness. Plan A was to convince Vash through inflicted suffering among his humans; Plan B was to convince him by manually manipulating his perception of reality. Knives knew that the program would get more and more intense until a breaking point had been found in his brain wave patterns. He also knew that any mental attempt to escape by manipulating the outside world would cause great… distress to the person who tried it. His conclusion? The best possible chance he had was to try to keep his grip on what was real until the girls and the priest came to save them. It was too bad he couldn't tell Vash that. Any attempt to establish a mental link would be deemed by the system as an attempt to escape. _Damn it all, I never expected this to be used on ME._

He sat down in the middle of the desert and tried to focus. He had been caught, he was in a virtual reality, he loved Mira, and he had a daughter and a son. He had to repeat those things to himself over and over, no matter what happened. He hoped Vash would find a way to realize that he was in a false reality as well. _Hold on, bro…_

……………

Vash woke up next to his beautiful wife, Meryl. She was so peaceful looking when she slept. He got up out of bed and stumbled. Suddenly he was outside, and his gut met with a swift right hook. Nick smiled cruelly and said, "Hold him. I want him to see this before he dies."

Nick pulled a knife and slid it gently over Millie's throat. He chuckled and said, "I used you all, I manipulated you, and THIS one… This one I really enjoyed, but I have no use for her anymore."

With that, Nick plunged the knife into Millie's throat. Vash was screaming and suddenly he found himself sitting up out of bed. _Just a dream…_ Meryl was not in bed, so she must be making breakfast. Vash headed downstairs and heard strange sounds coming from the kitchen. As he got closer he made out that Meryl was moaning. _She must be hurt!_

Vash rushed into the kitchen and stopped dead at what he saw. Meryl was bent over the table, her skirt hiked up to her hips and lace panties pooled around her ankles. A handsome young man stood behind her, holding her hips, and driving himself in and out of her. She looked up at Vash and smiled.

"Like I would really choose someone like you," She laughed, "I can have any man I want!"

The man and Meryl laughed and laughed. Then it all changed again. He traded one reality after another, like an unending stream of nightmares. Then they began to come so fast that they seemed to blend together like real memories. Vash fought, and fought. _It's not real, it's not REAL! I was captured; they are forcing theses visions upon me somehow._

He tried to establish a link with Knives and felt his body wracked with the most complete sense of pain he had ever experienced. He felt every kind of emotional pain at the same time he felt physical pain throughout every part of his body. He howled, or at least, he thought he howled. Another reality started, and Vash began to crumble inside…

………………

Jackie: Good? Well, I like it…


	27. Queen Millions

Jackie: Hehehe, I'm on a roll

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Trigun

…………………………

"You sure you know where we're going?" Meryl asked Nick for the hundredth time.

"Yes!" Nick barked, "And we will be there by tomorrow. I just don't understand how they got so far ahead of us. We should have caught up to them by now."

"Maybe we haven't caught up to them because we are going the WRONG WAY!" Meryl snapped right back.

"I KNOW WHERE I AM GOING!" Nick shouted.

"Whatever," Meryl sniffed, "But if this ends up being the wrong way, and Vash suffers because of it…"

"That's enough, Meryl," Mira said, "No one here is more qualified to find them than Nick."

Meryl had on her cape of derringers, Millie had her stun-gun, and Nick had his punisher strapped to the back of the car. Mira was dressed in a pair of travel worn brown boots and chaps. The chaps were over a pair of comfortable jeans. One of Knives's button down shirts was tucked in to her pants and unbuttoned low enough to be feminine. Over that she wore a half-cape that hid the arsenal that was strapped to her hips, beneath her arms, and a holster for the rifle she was holding across her back was also concealed beneath the cape.

Mira sat silently. _Why hasn't he contacted me mentally? He did it when I was captured… Something is wrong._ Mira's grip on her rifle tightened. _Hold on, my love. I will find you._

"I tracked down Vash the Stampede you know!" Meryl growled, throwing her head up proudly.

"We're not tracking 'Vash the Stampede'," Mira said coldly, "We are tracking the gung-ho-guns."

"Besides," Nick Whispered, "It's not like it's HARD to track Vash. Just follow the rubble."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY???" Meryl shouted.

"Now, now, save some for the gung-ho-guns," Millie chimed.

……………………….

Monique stood over the console. The readings said that Vash was close to breaking. Knives, however, had not budged. Monique growled at the chart. Whatever they had done to her master, they had done a good job of it. Then it struck her. _That woman… That woman is the key!_

Monique started furiously typing. This was fabulous. If this worked, not only would she have her master back, she would be his queen!

Allegro sniffed the air. She was excited about something. He growled lowly. It was so hard to control himself when she was excited. His hands dug into the sides on the chair where he sat as he asked, "What's up?"

"Hm?" Monique asked.

"What are you doing?" He clarified.

"I'm rewinding his memory," Monique said.

"Isn't that dangerous?" He asked, "He said only to use that on Vash as a last resort."

"It is time for a last resort," Mira said, "Our master's brainwashing runs deep. I am going to rewrite his memory, deleting any contact with the human wretch who dared to force him to marry her."

"But he said you cannot delete," Allegro added, "You can only change the reference."

"Yes," Monique smiled, "I am changing any reference from her, to me."

Allegro reeled back in shock. Monique just kept going, "Instead of converting to Vash's cause I am changing the reference to Vash converting to his cause. Instead of 'falling in love with me' he will have deemed me genetically compatible to carry his heir."

"It's not as simple as it sounds," Monique said, "I'll substitute one bit at a time, making small adjustments to his memory until it all fits. I'll know that I have created a believable story once his brain waves change from this pattern to this."

She pointed from Knives's current pattern, to the pattern he had documented before his fight with Vash. Allegro growled loudly and grabbed Monique's hand, pulling her back from the console. He flung her up against a wall and pinned her there.

"You DO remember what he did to the women he impregnated last time, right?" Allegro growled.

"This will be different," She said with obvious agitation, "Instead of randomly selected whores, he will have personally selected me, and he will have a deep desire to father and raise an heir."

"I won't allow it!" Allegro barked.

"And just why is that?" Monique asked.

"Because you are MINE!" He shouted harshly, "Knives already promised you to ME!"

"Impossible," Monique breathed, "He wouldn't do that."

Allegro dropped off of Monique with a dull thud as an object pierced his gut. He groaned and looked up at Monique. She smiled and said, "You, my arrogant little doggy, have gone rabid, and there's only one thing to do with a rabid dog."

Allegro's eyes followed a wire from his gut to a trigger in Monique's hand. He tried to pull the object out of his gut by the wire, but it seemed to have anchored itself to his spine. Monique caressed the trigger fondly.

"No!" Allegro cried, "Don't! I love you, Monique. Please!"

Monique pressed the detonator and the room was suddenly decorated with bits and pieces of Allegro. She smiled up at her lord and said, "I know you would never have promised such a thing."

She started typing at the console again and said, "Not when you can have me for yourself."

…………………………..

Jackie: suspenseful music OH the twist continues!


	28. Holdup

Jackie: Hmmm… This is getting long…

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Trigun

………………

Chapter 28;

An explosion sent dust and sand in waves over Nick and the girls. Nick growled, "That wasn't even close. None of their attacks have come close. It's almost like…"

"They are just trying to keep us here," Mira finished, "That machine they took the boys in, they are buying time for the machine to work."

"Yeah," Meryl said, "Whatever it does."

"I don't know," Nick said, "Knives never told me about it."

Mira rubbed her head. _Knives didn't show me the machine… I thought he'd said he showed me everything… _Mira's lips curved into a frown. She was quite sick of men telling her half truths, or omitted truths, or blatant lies. _When I save you, Knives, you have got some explaining to do…_

"Well, they are doing a good job of holding us here," Nick said with obvious frustration, "Just like the last two groups."

"It's like their teasing us," Millie said, "They let us get about 3 iles closer to the base and hold us, a little closer, hold us."

"So, if they are just holding us," Meryl started, "Have they been ordered not to kill us?"

Meryl stood up before anyone could answer. She roared out over the gunfire, "You couldn't hit a one-legged thomas!"

Wolfwood reached up and yanked her back by the cloak and a bullet whizzed over her head. If Wolfwood had been mere seconds later… Meryl said, "Well, there goes that theory."

"We had a policy in the Gung-ho-guns," Nick explained, "If it doesn't cooperate with the plan, kill it. I'm afraid we have no choice but to play by their rules."

………………..

Monique slammed her fist into the wall. It was late in the third night she'd stayed up by that console, trying to break the brothers. Vash had gone downhill so quickly she was sure he would have cracked by now, but he held on by just one thread. If only she knew where to cut!

She had told the remaining remnants of the gung-ho-guns to hold the humans back for a week and then let them come. By then she would be able to watch as the brothers smote those pitiful creatures with their awesome wrath. By then, she would have also fully claimed her right as queen, bedding with her master and conceiving an heir.

She glared at Knives's brain wave readings. She could tell that she was close, but there was some element she was missing. What could it be? Both brothers had a key, that one thing that would crack their consciousness wide open. She thought that woman was Knives's key, and it had made a great difference, but there was something else…

……………………

"Human wench!" Knives roared, "Where are the children you bore me? You dare to hide my blood from me?"

Flicker, flicker… _What was that?…_

Monique was rushed to the gung-ho-guns infirmary. She was full of bullet holes. Not that Knives cared. This time she would die for sure.

Flicker…

Why did he feel like he had done this all before? Standing by Mir--- Monique's side, marveling at her will to live. Weeks now she had survived, fighting off injury and infection…

Flicker…

"Monique," Knives announced to his loyal minions, "I have chosen you as the most worthy of your miserable race to bare me an heir."

Flicker, flicker…

Knives knew he should be excited. The human woman was giving birth to twins today. His blood would be born and help him to wipe out the human race, but why did he feel so empty, and so wrong. Beneath that, a deep sense that he had done this thousands of times before… _Mira, Gabriel, Angela… Who are they?_

Flicker, flicker, flicker…

"Human wench!" Knives roared, "Where are the children you bore me? You dare to hide my blood from me?"

………………………….

"Like I could ever love you" Meryl laughed, "Droopy eyed, ragged, torn up bit of a man, pretending to be human!"

Change.

"I just played you for a fool!" Nick shouted, "I'm a gung-ho-gun! I am a killer!"

Different scenes every time. Meryl dieing, Meryl leaving, Millie dieing, Nick killing, Nick dieing. It just kept blending together, but he knew it couldn't be true. Nick had changed, and Meryl loved him…

…………………

Monique typed away furiously. _What am I missing???_

……………………

Jackie: What do you think? Will the boys crack?


	29. Snap

Jackie; Howdy, to my new reviewers! I shall address the issue of Meryl. I was quite surprised to be accused of placing Meryl OOC, as many of my faithful friends and previous reviewers have always said I did a marvelous job with Meryl especially. The reason Meryl is upstaged in this particular fic is because people who have been reviewing all along and those who have emailed me directly have said that they like Mira and want to see more of her. However, I don't want to sound like I have sour grapes over your reviews.

I want ALL my reviewers to be happy and to continue reviewing. Therefore, since it seems I have some fellow Meryl fans out there, I shall try to keep Meryl/Mira balanced from here on out. Please, don't wait for another 28 chapters to go by to tell me if I am failing in any way.

DISCLAIMER: Do I REALLY have to say this AGAIN? I don't own Trigun.

………………………….

Chapter 29;

Meryl pushed her head down as another wave of sand washed over them. As the explosion subsided she yelled, "This isn't getting us anywhere! Damn them!"

"I know," Millie said with a worried expression, "But there's nothing we can do right now."

"But we can't let them keep us back while they do god knows WHAT to Vash," Meryl looked over at Mira and added, "And Knives."

Mira nodded. She glanced over the edge of the rock they were hiding behind and said, "It's infuriating. We can't go and we can't stay."

Nick hung his head and said, "I'm sorry girls, but I know these people. We do not have a choice. If only…"

He didn't need to finish the sentence. _If only Vash where here. He could always think of something… _Meryl blinked. That was it! She had to think like Vash. What would he do?

…………………………

Monique stared at the console. She didn't notice, but she was becoming quite pale and gaunt. Four days, going on five, since she ate or slept. She put her head down on her hands. She was obsessed, insane, and she knew it. She wondered if other people knew when their sanity broke.

She closed her eyes. Her master had been gone for a year before she tracked him down. What happened in that year that she was missing?

FLASHBACK

"_I_ am Mrs. Knives Millions," The woman yelled at her.

end flashback

"Mrs. Knives Millions," Monique mumbled…

Monique's eyes flew open. She remembered the ten women Knives had brought to the ship in Eden. It had taken only one attempt to impregnate them. Had this lowly human wench already given birth to the master's heir? Had she been going about this wrong from the start?

Monique lifted her weary head, and added a variable; CHILD. All at once, Knives's brainwaves snapped into place. Monique nearly wept for joy, but instead she laughed. She laughed madly at the screen, and then turned to go get something to eat.

……………………….

Meryl jumped out from behind the rock and slid down the dune in front of it 'vash-style', wildly slinging shots to the left and right of her. She never tried to hit them; she just wanted to make it very hard for them to draw a good bead on her and the others.

"Follow me!" She yelled back at her comrades, "Hurry!"

"Crap!" Nick yelled and ran after her, "Damn it, NEED- err – MERYL! Wait up!"

Mira and Millie followed suit.

……………………..

Jackie: Better?

I don't want you to get yelled at by someone so I want to clarify the definition of a fanfic. _I_ made this mistake too, and got a rather nasty chewing by numerous people, so I'd like to spare you that trauma. A fanfic does not necessarily have anything to do with the original characters, it can be many things, it just has to share a common thread with the original work. Just like people can write fics with the original characters in high school, or on the moon if they want, someone could write about 'bob' on the other side of Gunsmoke. (hehe, now that I've said that I may have to do it) He's on Gunsmoke, one would assume he's been affected in some way by Vash or Knives, and there is his common thread.


	30. Queen of Gunsmoke

Jackie: I'm trying really hard to stay balance here. Keep reviewing so I'll know how I'm doing.

DISCLAIMER: If I owned it… I WOULDN'T BE HERE.

………………………..

Monique looked down at the console with fresh eyes. Knives had not completely reverted after all. There was the slightest curve difference every ten or so waves that was out of whack. Monique shrugged it of, so it wasn't completely perfect, surely it was close enough.

She made a final adjustment to his current memories, and released him from the chambers. He lay in a crumpled heap on the floor beside the machine. It would take a an hour or so for him to wake up, and she would see that he woke up in a comfortable bed beside her.

She glanced up at Vash. She would leave him this way, for now. Knives would be far better at breaking him anyway. She opened the com link and announced, "Our master has returned. I need two volunteers to come to the brain bulb room immediately."

The brain bulb, it was a ridiculous name. Someone had called it that yesterday and it just stuck. She sat down heavily in her chair and stared up at the ceiling. She would finally get some sleep, and when she woke up, she would be the Mistress of this damned world.

…………………………..

Meryl and gang had made a fair amount of progress, but it was still slow. The resistance had almost doubled, and Wolfwood was right, they were now bearing down at full deadly force. Meryl slid down on her back, panting heavily. Wolfwood and Millie looked exhausted as well. Mira simply stared up at the sky. She had been unusually quiet for a while now.

"What's wrong," Meryl asked her.

"Hm?" Mira asked snapping back to reality, "Oh… Nothing, forget about it."

Mira moved to change the subject, "That was quite a stunt you pulled. Are you always that reckless?"

"Nope," Nick answered for her, "I think she's just been spending too much time with Vash."

Millie giggled a little, her tired expression suddenly melting. She unwrapped a cloth full of jerky and passed it out. Meryl scowled a little at the food and said, "This is the last of it, isn't it?"

"Yes, sempai," Millie answered, "But we have to eat it. None of us have eaten in 24 hours. If we're going to keep up with you, we'll need our strength."

Nick frowned as he emptied his canteen into his mouth. He slumped down and said, "I don't know about you, ladies, but I'm out of water too. We need to get to that ship."

Mira finished off her canteen as well and asked, "How much further?"

"Five iles," Nick answered.

"With no food," Meryl said.

"Yup," Nick answered.

"And no water," Millie added.

"Yup," Nick replied.

"Under the blaring double suns," Mira added.

"Yuuup," Nick said again.

"Under heavy gunfire," Meryl said.

"Yup," The group answered.

"Well." Meryl said as he pulled two more derringers. She heard Mira drop her rifle and draw two 38 cal lady smiths. Nick armed his punisher and Millie lifted her stun gun to her side. Meryl nodded and jumped out from the rock, "Let's do this!"

……………………..

"Human," Knives's voice woke Monique.

"Yes, my master," Monique answered, trying for all the world to look as though she didn't need more rest.

"Where are my children?" Knives demanded.

"They are at the other base," Monique answered, "You had them transferred there ahead of us, remember?"

"Yes…" Knives said, rubbing his head, "Yes, that is right."

"My lord?" Monique asked.

"Yes, what is it?" Knives asked.

"Do you think you have enough heirs?" She cooed, "I would be honored to bear as many as you wish."

Knives thought for a minute. He could spawn perhaps 20 or more children before her body would give out. He could populate the world with his children, overrun the worthless human garbage and lay waste to the world. Then they could rebuild. His children and the plant race could rebuild the world to his design.

"That is not a bad idea, human," Knives said coldly and roughly pulled her to him, "Turn over, so that I do not have to look at you hideous face."

Monique started to shift over when every alarm in the ship went off. Knives was out of bed in an instant. He swayed a bit. Why did he have such a massive headache?

"Someone has breached the defenses!" Knives snarled, "No doubt it's Vash's little pet humans here to rescue him."

Knives opened a com link and announce, "Attention, bring me the vermin that dare to infect this sacred place! Those who fail shall share their fate!"

………………………..

Mira stopped cold at the voice over the intercom. The group looked back at her with equally astonished expressions. She trembled visibly and said, "Kn… Knives? KNIVES!"

She howled and started to run down the corridor. Nick grabbed her by the arm and said, "Stop! You want to see him right? Then let's get captured."

"WHAT?!" Meryl and Millie both screeched.

"You heard the announcement," Nick said, "He commanded that we be brought to him. He didn't say killed. We are taught to assume that when he says 'bring' he means 'alive'. Hide some of your weapons, but have some out to drop when we surrender."

Mira was still shaking. Had Knives gone back to his old life? Had she, once again, been betrayed by someone she loved. She shivered, she felt so cold inside.

"Mira?" Nick asked.

"I heard you, and I'll play along," Mira said, "But if Knives has gone back to his life of killing… He's MINE."

The others took a step back. Meryl was the first to speak, "You can't mean that."

"I do," Mira said and cocked her weapons, "As you would say, Meryl… Let's do this."

………………………

Jackie: A little dramatic attention to Meryl, a little to Mira. Still balanced?


	31. Insanity is Contagous

Jackie: I don't have any sour grapes about it Maria. I am glad to know you haven't been keeping quiet this whole time, and the problem is recent. Feel free to review each chapter. Everyone else does. Including, me. You can guide the whole story that way. I do my best to keep everyone happy!

The fanfic definition was for anyone who doesn't know. I saw it come up in a review and though 'uh-oh' better clarify before someone gets offended and hunts them down. It happened to me. I read a fic and posted to following review:

"I LOVE it… But where are Vash and crew?"

To which I received a NASTY reply from the author and about four other people. I didn't want that to happen to any of my reviewers. I hope you don't feel like I was attacking you in any way.

Robert: eventually I will be done with the fanfic. Then you will have plenty of time to catch up, because I won't be creating a lead on you. Besides, I don't want to make anyone mad by stopping my updates. It's one of the things I'm famous for! Just call me speedy! 

DISCLAIMER: refer to previous chapters.

…………….

Knives furiously typed at the console. Vash was so close to breaking, only a few minutes more.

"My Lord," Monique started.

"What is it?" Knives barked, "I told you not to disturb me!"

"Unless we had caught the intruders," Monique corrected, "Which we have."

His eyes narrowed to slits. That had sounded a lot like she was talking back to him. Surely, just because she was the mother of his children, she did not think she could get away with such things. He would have to deal with it later.

"Take them to the main chamber and 'assure' them that Vash and I will be there soon," Knives said and went back to typing.

"Yes, master," Monique said and exited the room.

Knives knew exactly why Vash wasn't breaking. It was the same reason he had refused to turn on the human race for over a century. _Rem Saverem…_

………………………….

Vash cuddled up to Rem. He sighed and said, "I love you, Rem. I really love you."

"Do you?" Rem asked and turned to him sliding a hand over his young chest, "Do you love me enough to keep a secret, Vash?"

Rem's hand slid lower. Rem smiled into his suddenly terrified little eyes and asked, "You did say you loved me didn't you? This will be our little secret."

………………………………

Knives smiled wickedly as Vash's brain wave patterns viciously contorted. Then something happened that Knives did not expect… His brainwaves split.

………………………………

Meryl looked over the chamber breathlessly. She had never seen so many plant bulbs. They were forced to kneel on a central platform, overlooking a seemingly bottomless drop. As far down as her eyes could catch, plant bulbs lined the walls of the large hole.

Nick, Millie, and Mira knelt beside her. All of them had their hands bound behind their backs. A guard of ten gung-ho-guns stood around them, awaiting the entrance of their master, Knives Millions.

"Change of plans," Knives's voice said over the intercom, "Take them to containment and have them frozen. I will deal with those disgusting spiders later."

"F-frozen?" Meryl squeaked, "You can't be serious!"

"Our Lord and master is ALWAYS serious," A young man said as she clobbered Meryl over the head.

"Well, then I guess it's time for plan B, girls," Nick said pleasantly.

"Alright," Millie chirped with the same wicked smile she had given Meryl when they made their escape from the sand steamer.

Mira couldn't believe her ears. It was true. Knives meant to betray them all. He had probably meant to do it from the start. That meant his abduction was counterfeit as well. Her heart lurched in her chest. She was right, in the end, she only attracted sickos. But it was worse than even that. The faces of her two little babies flashed through her mind. She would NOT let him have them.

Meryl growled and slipped her slender wrists from their restraints, silently thanking Wolfwood for showing them the technique before they were captured. Mira was already to her feet. The chamber echoed with gunfire.

"KNIVES!" Mira yelled with tears in her eyes. She promised herself she would never love again.

…………………………………

When the rain of bullets stopped the only one left standing was Mira. No one had been killed, but there were quiet a few people that would never hold a gun again. They laid in every direction, cradling their shot mangled limbs. Meryl, Millie and Wolfwood had long since gotten down out of the way. Blood trickled from Mira's right shoulder and left thigh. They had managed to hit her twice before she had taken them all down.

"She's snapped," Nicked breathed, "Look at what she did!"

"You're one to talk!" Meryl scolded, "What did YOU do at the end of that quick draw tournament?"

Meryl was only scolding him to hide the fear welling up inside her. Mira really had snapped. Mira was just standing there, glaring at her victims. Her arms were shivering with the urge to finish the job, and she hadn't even acknowledged her injuries. Mira opened both guns and reloaded them. She retrieved two that she had thrown down when they ran out of ammunition, and reloaded them as well.

Meryl had seen that kind of fierce, deadly look. Meryl had felt the coldness that radiated off Mira. Meryl had experienced this kind of wrath once before, in the presence of Vash when he turned into the Diablo. Meryl breathed, "Oh god. There's no stopping her."

"Mira?" Millie started, but Nick held her back and shook his head no. He could also recognize when a person was beyond reason.

Mira picked up a man with brown hair and honey-colored eyes by his collar and said, "Tell me where Knives Millions is or you will BEG for death before I'm done with you."

That 'man' was barely out of boyhood from the looks of him. He smiled and said, "He's in the brain bulb room, but you're too late. We have undone the damage you did to him. Our master has returned, and soon his brother will join us as well. You will all burn in-"

Mira's eyes narrowed, she punched him hard across the face, and said, "I didn't ask for a dissertation. Tell me how to get to him!"

"Two floors up," The boy laughed some more, "First door on the right, not that it makes any difference. He'll destroy you all!"

Mira stood and said, "You all should run away from here. I am going to kill my husband. Then I will find and free, Vash. Then…"

Mira looked down at her guns. _What kind of mother would I be anyway? Constantly attracting garbage to their lives?_

"Meryl, Millie," Mira started, "Not matter what… Please take care of my children."

With that, Mira was gone.

The three only watched her go in silence and awe of the tension around her. Once the door slid shut behind her Meryl ran over to the boy. Mira might have missed to vital sentence, but Meryl did not. Meryl shook the boy by his shoulders, "What do you mean 'we have undone the damage'?"

"We put them in the brain bulb," He said with a sick smile.

"What is a brain bulb?" Meryl asked.

"An instrument of rebirth," He answered cryptically.

It was Meryl's turn to clobber the young man, "IN ENGLISH!"

"It creates a new reality on their mind," He answered, "It changes their perception of their old memories and gives them new ones."

"Dear god," Meryl breathed and released him.

Millie covered her mouth as she gasped, and Wolfwood could only shake his head.

"What were you thinking, Knives?" Wolfwood breathed, "Even for you, such a tool is far too dangerous."

"We can ask him later," Meryl barked and ran out the door.

Meryl held two derringers ready. _Right now we have got to stop Mira._

………………………………….

Jackie: And the plot thickens. Will Mira kill Knives? Will Vash emerge from the bulb as a vicious killer? Where is Monique? What would you like to see happen?


	32. Getting There

Jackie: I hope you all are enjoying this. I can see that I'm on the alert list of lots of people; it sure would be NICE if they would REVIEW. 'hint, hint'

Just a little warning, Mira is going to shine for about the next two chapters. Then I promise I'll get Meryl back in the lead.

Thanks to all my reviewers. I'm closing in on 100 reviews! YAY!

DISCLAIMER: Here. 'sets up her lawyer to spout useless legalese which roughly translates to "Trigun…uh… I don't own it." '

…………………….

Chapter 32;

Knives franticly typed at the console. In all his exhaustive calculations he had never considered the possibility of a brainwave split. He knew what happened to humans when this happened, but what would be the result with a plant? His scientific mind craved the answer, but his practical mind said it was far two dangerous.

Where had he gone wrong? He sat back for a moment and thought. _The reality alteration must be too severe… I changed his reality too much._

He looked at the console and frowned. He could just reset to the defaults and cleanse Vash's memory, but it would undo so much work. There had to be a way to bond the split back together. He started typing again.

………………..

Monique stood outside the elevator doors. She had heard the alert that the prisoners had escaped. Unlike the rest of the gung-ho-guns, she had not run off to recapture them. Why waste her time? She knew exactly where they were going.

Months ago, Knives's entire army disintegrated. She shifted through the rubble of his empire and drew together this army. It was no where near its former glory, but it contained only those people she felt were truly devoted to the cause. The rest of the garbage was just that, GARBAGE. She would collect their lives and the lives of every other wretched human on this planet in time.

The elevator dial began to move. Monique took cover behind a large metal table she had turned on its side. The elevator tolled to announce that it had reached its destination.

………………

Mira stood over the emergency escape hatch of the elevator, looking down into it. She held a lady's smith custom 38 caliber in each hand and she waited. The elevator tolled and she could hear the doors opening. _Show time…_

A small ball rolled into the elevator. Mira strained to see what it was. _A BOMB!_ Mira leapt back, throwing herself into a ditch that served as the groove inset that kept the elevator's ascent and descent stable. She thanked her father for the rock climbing they did together and braced herself with her arms and legs so that she needed no bottom support.

The explosion decimated the elevator shell. However, to Mira's surprise it did not fall. She leapt through the hatch, using its edge as a swing bar to launch her out into the hallway. A shrieking sound was heard as the damaged elevator cables gave way and the empty casing fell. _THAT was close…_

"Quite an entrance," Monique said, using Mira's unguarded moment of surprise.

Mira's attention drew back to what was in front of her and found that she was looking down the barrel of a 20 gauged shot gun. She smiled down the riffle barrel and said, "You know us entertainers, we like to make our entrances good and flashy."

"You're the wench that married my master," Monique said, "And gave birth to his heirs."

"You're the wench that pretended to steal my husband," Mira mocked, "Though you can't steal the willing."

Monique looked confused for just a moment. She smiled and said, "You don't know what the bulb does, do you?"

"It doesn't matter," Mira said darkly, "I came here for one reason and one reason alone. To find that lying bastard and put him out of my misery."

Monique laughed so hard her gun lowered for just a moment. Mira capitalized and swung, hitting Monique at the base of the neck and knocking her out. Mira walked to the first door on the right. She didn't seem to notice the trail of blood behind her.

………………………

"It isn't coming back down!" Meryl shouted, "It must be stuck!"

"Follow me!" Nick said and led them around the corner to stair access.

They climbed the stairs as fast as their legs could take them. Meryl's heart pounded in her chest. Mira was far ahead of them, it was impossible to get there in time, but she just had to try! In spite of her small size she was a full five stairs ahead of Nick and Millie, and that gap was growing. Half way up they all heard an explosion and the shrieking sound of metal drug across metal. Finally she reached the top of the staircase and threw herself through the door. She ran around the corner and gaped at what she saw.

The woman who had stolen Vash and Knives was in a heap on the ground behind a metal table that was lying on its side. Tendrils of smoke still rose out of the open elevator shaft and bits and pieces of metal shrapnel littered the hallway. Millie and Wolfwood skid to a halt behind her, panting heavily.

"Whoa," Nick breathed, "I guess Mira's been here."

"We've got to stop her," Meryl said and ran down the hallway.

She slipped and fell hard against the ground. Millie was instantly at her side, "Meryl, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Meryl barked, "What did I slip in?"

Wolfwood knelt down and examined the blood on the ground. He shook his head and said, "She opened one of her shot wounds. I don't know how she did it, but that's hardly the issue. If we don't get her help soon, she'll bleed to death."

………………………………..

Jackie: Now who was it that said the plot couldn't get any thicker? 'Cause I have a few more little 'surprises' left.


	33. The Wall

Jackie: I know Mira has shined a lot these past few chapters. One more chapter for Mira and then I promise Meryl will take center stage again.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Trigun.

…….

Chapter 33;

Mira slipped into the room. She knew that Meryl, Nick, and Millie would not be far behind her in spite of her warning. She turned and locked the door behind her. _I'm sorry…_

"I wonder," Mira started, "If you laughed at me."

Knives whipped around and looked down the barrels of two black guns pointed at his head. His eyes followed the guns to the arms and up to the face and crystal gray eyes of a broken woman. He knew the desperate look it her eyes, and the strained look of her face. She was a woman pushed too far, a human at the end of her very short rope. Knives smiled in spite of himself and said, "Do I know you?"

"Don't play with me, _Knives Millions_," Mira said and her arms shivered, "I have had enough!"

"Hm," Knives said and leaned back, folding his arms casually, "It seems you know me, at least. Very impressive, little spider, you made it all this way, past all my minions…"

"Spare me!" Mira barked, "I just want to know one thing."

"And what is that?" Knives yawned.

"You cried when our children were born," Mira said, "You wept… You said they were perfect. It's obvious that you don't love me, but… Is it all… Is EVERYTHING a lie? Even your love for them?"

Knives was now completely lost, "Pardon? You have me mistaken for someone else I fear. I haven't any idea what you're talking about."

Knives reached out and took control of her body. Knives smiled and said, "If I were a human, I might make small talk, laugh and be on my way. I might tell all my human friends and be amused by this little case of mistaken identity… If I were human."

Knives closed in on her, and glared down into her gray eyes, "But unfortunately for you, I'm not. I don't find your uninvited intrusion amusing, and your story is sickening. I found it vulgar enough mating with one human and you look nothing like her."

"I have important work to do," Knives added motioning to Vash over his shoulder.

"And just what do you plan to do to him?" Mira asked, "He's your brother, your own flesh and blood."

"How righteous of you," Knives growled, "To use that saying. I've seen your kind kill their kin for less than a month's worth of expense money."

"You think you're so much better than us," Mira spat, "And yet, look behind you. You imprison your own kin, who knows what torture you've put him through so far, and in the end? You'll probably have to kill him before you'll break him. You think you're hot stuff, but you're just like Morgan, a dirty, low, miserable little thug! You're not fit to wipe my boots on!"

Knives drew his hand back to strike her and then a name echoed in his mind. _Morgan… Morgan… Morgan… _Morgan? He saved Monique from Morgan, didn't he? How did this woman know that man? Mira saw the hesitation in his eyes for just a moment then his eyes flung back to hers and he finished his blow. Mira flew across the room just as pounding started outside the door.

"MIRA!" Meryl's voice shouted through the door, "Mira, don't kill him! He's been brainwashed! It's not his fault."

The only person Knives knew was being brainwashed was Vash. Knives glared at Mira and snapped, "You came here to KILL my brother? After that little lecture of yours?"

Mira looked up into her husband's possessed eyes. He had hesitated, for just a moment before striking her. Could it be true? Was Knives a victim in all this? She wanted to believe it, but she just couldn't.

"No," She answered, "I came to kill you."

"She's right!" Nick shouted through the door, "One of the gung-ho-guns told us!"

Knives walked over and grabbed a fist full of hair, pulling her face very close to his. He used his mind to make her lift her own gun to her head. He smiled sickly and said, "Pity you failed. Any last words, insect?"

Was there any way to be sure? Mira's mind rewound to the day the twins were born. While Knives took them to see their uncle, she had taken an opportunity to take a nap. She woke up and there Knives was, watching over her, like he had in the hospital last time they were both there. He was always there, smiling with love in his beautiful deep blue eyes. He smiled at her and said…

"_I love you, Mira… Nothing will ever change that… I will love you forever."_

Mira began to cry. Had he meant anything he'd ever said to her? She had to know, and so, half because she couldn't stomach that it was all a lie, and half because she believed it really was, she spoke.

"I love you, Knives," Mira chocked out, "Nothing will ever change that. I'll love you forever!"

She closed her eyes and added, "Even if you don't love me."

A thousand visions passed before his eyes, too fast to make sense of. He groaned and dropped her. His head felt like it was going to split open. Mira lowered her gun. Unfortunately she was a bit premature in acting. Knives growled and struck her again. He leapt on top of her, and struck her three more times across the face. He lifted his hand to strike her again and demanded, "I will know what you just did to me! I will know NOW!"

He had stopped again. That was all Mira needed to believe he truly was unwilled. Mira's vision was swimming from the many blows and loss of blood. She couldn't take much more of this, but she had to try again.

"I love you, Gabriel loves you, and Angela loves you!" She cried

He howled and then pummeled her again. She couldn't break through his wall! How could she get through his wall? How had she done it before? Between strikes, half out of desperation, and half out of delusion she yelled, "Queen to king four! CHECKMATE!"

'_You'd better watch yourself, bro.'_

Knives moved.

'_Why, it's not like she could actually—'_

Mira moved, Queen to King Four.

"Checkmate," Mira said.

His mouth opened wordlessly. His eyes bulged, and his body froze. Mira saw the exact moment that everything in him snapped. His eyes rolled back into his head and he fell with a dull thud to the floor beside her. Not that Mira could help him at all. The world twisted in on itself in her vision, and then everything went black.

………………

Jackie: Meryl stars next chapter so stay tuned! Hey, if you're lost on this story, email we with where you got lost and I will explain.


	34. Setup For The End

100 REVIEWS! YAY!

Jackie: 'pulls out the wine and fancy crackers with all kinds of strange spreads on them' I have to look classy, I'm about to do a shameless plug for another author who KICKS A. "Forever Mine" by Aine of Knockaine, is a great story, so go read it, CAUSE I'LL STOP WRITING IF YOU DON'T.

Hope-is-4ever is writing a GREAT story too… if she'd ever UPDATE! Perhaps it is one of the best stories I have read in quite a while.

'drains the bottle of wine, straight from the bottle' now back to the story. Over the coming chapters; Meryl to shine, twists to get twistier, and a surprise ending!

So sorry it's been a while. Lots-o-school work dragging me under.

…………………

Chapter 34;

Nick and Meryl shoved their ears against the door. Meryl looked at the preacher in black and asked, "I don't hear anything, do you?"

"No," Nick said, "Do you think we should—"

"STAND BACK EVERYBODY!" Millie shouted, and lifted up her stun gun.

Meryl and Wolfwood eeped and leapt out of the way just as Millie shot the door. The door flew inward smacking against the chair where Knives had previously sat, and rolling across the floor at the console. It hit the console with a metallic ring, and fell to its side.

Meryl peeked into the chamber and saw what Millie could have damaged. She turned around and barked, "Think before you do those things! If that console had been damaged we have no idea what it would have done to Vash!"

"Oh gee! I'm Sorry," Millie cheeped.

"Oh no," Wolfwood whispered, looking in to the left of the door.

Wolfwood was through the door in an instant. He crouched down beside Knives and Mira. Once Meryl realized what was wrong she was there as well. Wolfwood propped Knives up and tried to wake him. Meryl knelt down by Mira and checked for a pulse. She had one, but it was very weak.

Knives slowly came to, and looked up at Millie and Wolfwood. In his mind, reality and the visions of the bulb had completely separated. Everything that had happened in the bulb seemed like nothing more than a bad dream. At the end of those dreams there were new memories of the single day he'd spent as Knives Millions.

He had an empty feeling in the pit of his stomach. His eyes flung open and he said, "Mira. Where is Mira?"

Just as Knives spoke, Meryl lifted Mira's dust cloak and gasped. The left side of Mira's white shirt and jeans were completely soaked in blood. Knives shoved Nick and Millie off of him and pushed Meryl roughly out of the way. He tore Mira's shirt open and stopped. His hands shook with the torn shirt in his hands. What had been a bullet hole in her shoulder had torn open and the flesh of her deltoid had pealed back. The white gleam of her collar bone was only half as haunting as the blood spurting in fits from the wound.

Knives remembered her holding her guns up at his head, and the broken look in her eyes. His head twisted unnaturally toward the door and he saw the pool of blood where she had stood. His eyes twisted along the trail of blood from one place to another. He replayed the vicious beating he had given her all across the room. _It's all my fault…_

"It's all… all my fault," Knives breathed and sat back, releasing Mira's shirt, "I can't escape it. I destroy everything I touch."

"Look!" Meryl snapped and grabbed him by the shoulders, "We DO NOT have time for a melt down! She has a pulse, she's still alive! We can worry about blame later. For now we need to get her and Vash out of here!"

Wolfwood closed Mira's shirt and pushed down on the wound to stop the bleeding. He looked and Knives and said, "She's right; this is no time to fall apart. If you want to save your wife or your brother we have got to get out of here before trouble shows up."

They were right, what was he doing? He felt all fuzzy and disconnected from himself. Knives's deep blue eyes went slowly from Mira and Wolfwood up to Meryl's lavender eyes and he said, "Defaults… Reset the defaults by pressing the yellow button on the left of the console, otherwise—"

"So, it's true," Monique said, stepping through the doorway, "You have joined up with these, insects. Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter."

Knives instantly tried to reach out with his mind and stop her, but his head still hurt too much to concentrate. Monique noticed him wincing and holding his head. She smiled and said, "Headache, love? Now don't anyone be foolish."

She held out a small bomb and said, "My trigger finger feels all… itchy."

"What does she mean, love?" Meryl asked Knives.

"It was part of the brainwashing," Knives hissed, "She made me believe she was my… My mate."

"And a fine mate you were," Mira laughed.

"You didn't!" Meryl said and looked at Knives.

"He did," Monique purred, "Right after dealing with the alarm you guys set off. He was quite… vigorous."

"Bitch," Knives growled, "I would never have done it if—"

"Is that any way to speak to the future mother of your children," Monique asked.

"You can't possibly know that!" Meryl shouted.

"100 of the women who have ever been inseminated by Knives have become pregnant," Monique said with a wicked smile, "I'd say the odds are in my favor."

Monique lowered her arm with the out-stretched bomb and said, "When you left us… It all fell apart, but I put it back together again by myself. I caught you, and your brother, by myself. I did everything, BY MYSELF. Which leaves me wondering… Now that I have your seed… What do I need _you_ for?"

Monique noted the change in Vash's brainwaves. Two sets of brainwaves? Interesting… The top wave was like nothing she'd ever seen, and the bottom was unmistakable as the brainwaves of a blood-thirsty killer. She smiled morbidly.

"So what are you going to do," Meryl said and stood up, "Kill him, kill us? You can't be sure that bomb will get us all unless you stay and die yourself!"

"I don't need this bomb to kill you," Monique said, "I have HIM!"

Monique hurled a small spare detonator and hand bomb at the console, and it hit its mark. The release button clicked, and console exploded. A huge flash of light filled the room, and they were all thrown back against the wall. When the light dimmed and the dust settled Monique was gone, and Vash was lying on the ground in front of the machine.

"Vash!" Meryl yelled and ran to his side.

"NO!" Knives shouted, "Don't he's—"

"I'm what?" Vash said and rolled over, looking up at his short girl.

"But, you shouldn't even be awake yet," Knives said, "It's not possible."

"Well, I—" Vash started.

Meryl lifted her hand and motioned for him to stop.

"He can explain later," Meryl said, "Right now, we have to get out of here. We'll need to break into the supply room first to get food and water. Knives, take us to the supply room."

…………………….

Jackie: Was it worth waiting for? More to come; Lots of fluff, particularly between Vash and Meryl, and a surprise ending.


	35. The Way Home

Jackie: Look at all the reviews! You guys are SOOOooOOOOOO Awesome!

Hello to my new reviewers! Welcome to my den of insanity!

The chickens are well, and my goat is going to kid any day now.

I just finished a LOAD of homework, and still have TONS left to do. sigh Why do I torture myself with a double-full time course load? Oh well, here's to procrastination!

………………….

Chapter 35;

The base seemed hauntingly empty. They encountered almost no resistance in raiding the supply room and escaping to their car. It was almost as if no one cared enough to stop them, so they just let them go.

Millie, Nick, Vash, and Meryl took shifts driving home so they could get there faster. Knives hovered over Mira, spooning broth down her throat and changing her bandages regularly. Vash couldn't help smiling from time to time at his brother. Vash had always known Knives had a loving side to him. It was good to see it expressed.

"You never explained," Knives said cradling Mira in his lap, "What happened? Why didn't the bulb make you insane?"

"I was kind of wondering that myself," Wolfwood said.

"Well, about the time you turned Rem into a child molester," Vash started and Knives winced, "It became clear that it just wasn't real. I concentrated really hard. I made a dark little place in my mind. I pushed all the horrible thoughts and feelings of negativity I had into that cold, dark place. When I felt myself being drawn from the bulb, I shoved that space out into the void. Actually, it was quite therapeutic! I'd say I'm more myself than I've ever been!"

Knives blinked at Vash and grumble, "You always were annoyingly good at getting out of my traps."

"Yeah, I guess so!" Vash said and laughed.

"You don't have to gloat," Knives growled.

'_SO…. You and Meryl haven't, eh, had your first night as man and wife have you?'_

'_Nope, we kind of got interrupted, remember?'_

"Aren't you happy I figured it out?" Vash asked.

'_So, what are your plans?'_

'_I don't know, the house I'm having built shouldn't be ready for us yet, and I feel a little awkward about doing it in the same house as Millie and Wolfwood'_

"Yes," Knives said simply, "But must you be so annoying about it?"

'_You're such an idiot! How could you possibly STILL have issues about this? You aren't really going to make her wait even LONGER?'_

'_Well, I…'_

'_You are such a moron; I can't believe we're related. Besides, if it's that big a deal, that's what a HOTEL is for!'_

"Hey that's not nice!" Vash whined. No one knew what he really meant by it.

Even with shift changes, driving straight through was difficult. Everyone was more than a little happy to see the town come into view a few days later. They rushed Mira to the hospital and waited for hours before a doctor finally came out and told them that Mira was alright. They had given her a blood transfusion and done some skin graphs, closing the gaping wounds with stitches. She would have a nasty scar, but she would live.

"I'm staying here," Knives said, "So if _someone _would like to make use of the house…"

"Oh, I think we'll be fine," Vash said.

"No," Knives sneered, "You won't."

'_For goodness sakes, Vash! Are you that dense? Take the house and TAKE your wife!'_

'_But she's probably really tired and-'_

'_Vash I swear I will remove your right to call yourself a man if-'_

'_okay! Okay! Gee, and here I thought you were past the whole violent psychopath thing'_

In spite of not being linked like the brothers, Meryl seemed to sense what was going on. She stepped toe to toe with Vash and Knives and said, "Don't you think it's a GOOD idea, Vash. The house would be REALLY CROWDED with four newly weds in it."

Vash looked down into Meryl's lavender eyes. She was giving him her famous 'do it or I will hurt you' look. He threw up his hands and shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh, I suppose it would help," Vash said, "The house only has one shower, and with four people that's a lot of waiting."

"EXACTLY!" Meryl said, unable to hide her excitement.

"And we'll pick up your children, Kni- I mean, Triston," Millie chimed, "The sitter is probably wondering what happened to us, even if Mira did tell her it would be a few weeks."

"Thanks," Knives said, "Richard?"

"Yes?" Vash asked.

"We have a fireplace," Knives said with a wink and a nudge, "In case you get cold."

With that Knives went into Mira's room and the two newly married couples went to separate houses.

……………………..

Jackie: Vash x Meryl fluff to ensue. Thanks for your patience!


	36. A Night to Remember

Jackie: Well I have a 3 page history paper due, another 5-10 page paper due. Both of them due Thursday, and have I started them? Absolutely… NOT! I guess I was too busy writing C programs, designing two databases, raising kids, taking care of this little hobby farm I have, and… okay, okay, procrastinating by writing fanfiction. In my defense I also had a test to take and 250 pages worth of assigned reading.

I just did my taxes too; literally, I finished them about five minutes ago. Also, I cleaned most of the house… I don't think I get paid enough… Oh wait, I don't get paid at all. Man that sucks.

Hope: I am going to pester you until you UPDATE. 'Assumes a menacing posture and reminds hope of her impressive sword collection' And CHECK THIS OUT! 'Lets the audience 'oo' and 'ah' over her 38 cal lady's smith' Custom black with custom grip designed to fit my hand. I'm thinking of having it engraved, but that costs thousands of dollars… Man that sucks… But it should be pretty, since I'll probably never use it. 'Puts the trigger lock on, the safety lock on, and into the lockable gun safe it goes' Where's the ammo? 'Points to a second combination locked safe' Safety first people… Of course I've timed myself and it takes me less than a minute to get it out and loaded, HOPE. 'Menacing glare'.

Hehehe, I have to be the only pacifist that likes swords and guns.

DISCLAIMER: 'checking again' nope, still don't own it.

THIS IS YOUR WARNING! VASH X MERYL FLUFF AND LEMON TO FOLLOW! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

…………………

Chapter 36;

Vash and Meryl drove with Millie and Wolfwood to pick up the twins. The babysitter met them at the door. She was a wrinkled old woman, with more than a slight case of lordosis (hunch back caused be degeneration, usually accompanying old age). She squinted at them and said, "Just put them t'bed. If ya want t'pick em up in the mornin' ya can. No need wakin 'em."

"Oh, that would be great!" Millie chirped, "Have they been any bother?"

"Nope," The old woman smiled, "So strange though, seems these youngins grow up faster every day. Must just be these ol'eyes."

"Yeah," Vash said nervously, "That's it."

He was not about to try to tell the old woman why they seemed to be growing so fast. The group loaded back up, Millie and Wolfwood were dropped off, and Meryl and Vash headed out of town to Mira's place.

Meryl picked at her skirt lightly. This was it. Both of them knew where they were going and what they were going to do when they got there. She was excited and uneasy at the same time. She'd waited for this for so long, she was married to him for goodness sakes, and this was her right. This was what she wanted. So why was she now so afraid?

Vash stared out into the night. Having five moons meant some light was always available at night. On this night the biggest moon, the fifth moon, was full. He could see for miles. He glanced up and the crater he was responsible for. He was 130+ years old, he had faced unspeakable horror, and unparalleled danger. Yet, he had never been more terrified. After spending 130+ years as a virgin, it was a little hard to wrap his mind around NOT being a virgin anymore.

"I'm really looking forward to a nice hot shower," Meryl said, trying to make small talk to get her mind of… other things.

"Yeah," Vash said absently.

"Something wrong?" Meryl asked, noting the far-off expression in his eyes.

"Huh?" Vash asked, "No, it's nothing. We're here."

"Well," Meryl breathed, "Let's go dow- I mean in."

"What was that?" Vash asked lifting an eyebrow.

"I said, let's go in," Meryl said defensively, "It's getting cold out here."

Meryl reached for her doorknob, but Vash was lightening quick as usual. He was already around to her door, and he opened it for her. He smiled a goofy smile and said, "After you, short girl."

THWACK!

"OWWWWW!" Vash whined, "What was that for?"

"For calling me short girl," Meryl snapped, "We're married now for goodness sakes!"

"Okay, okay, I get it," Vash whined and then added, "Meryl."

"That's better," Meryl said and stood up.

They walked inside and Vash took Meryl's cape. He was still in his wedding day tux. It was quite ruined by the ordeal but he took that jacket off gently and hung it next to Meryl's cape. Vash blushed and said, "Uh, we forgot something."

"What is that?" Meryl said, stretching slightly as she walked toward the bathroom.

"Clean clothes," Vash said, "We're not going to get cleaned up just to jump back into these dusty clothes are we?"

Meryl froze. Crap! He was right. They didn't grab any new clothes while they were at the other house. She was sure Vash could wear some of Knives' clothing, but Mira was a good deal taller than her. Still, Mira had to have SOMETHING Meryl could wear.

"Let's raid the closets," Meryl sighed, "I hope Knives and Mira won't mind."

Knives… Sharing… Sharing Knives' clothes. It would be the first time since they were very small. Vash shrugged and said, "Well, I guess we don't have much of a choice."

With that they raided the closets for clothes. Vash grabbed some of the older looking pieces of clothing. Knives couldn't be mad if Vash borrowed his oldest, rattiest items of clothing. Meryl was having considerably more troubled.

"Does she own ANYTHING that doesn't show off EVERYTHING?" Meryl barked.

Vash watched Meryl rooting through Mira's clothes and found himself imagining his short girl in some of the more tantalizing outfits. As low cut shirts, half shirts, mini skirts, and SUPER mini skirts went blowing past, his mind got progressively more dirty. A rush of heat poured into him and he blushed wildly at his sudden and intense arousal.

"I mean really," Meryl continued to complain, "How do you even wear something like THIS?"

She held up and shirt that was a collection of cloth straps and strings. If not for the hanger, he couldn't have told which side was up. She threw it back in the closet and said, "And it couldn't have possibly covered anything! Why not just walk around nude?"

"Good idea," Vash said in a low, husky voice.

Meryl looked up slightly, "Did you say something, Vash?"

"I said, um, no idea," Vash started, "No idea how you would wear something like that. Since you're still looking, I'm going to go take my shower." _A COLD shower._

"Okay," Meryl grumbled, "Take your time. This will be a while."

Vash left her grumbling at the clothing and went into the main bathroom. He undressed and discarded the rest of his tux on the floor of the bathroom, placing his clean clothes in a neat, folded pile on the counter. He turned on the cold water and let it pour over him.

Meryl in revealing clothing… There was a thought. She had complained all night about the dress Mira had helped him pick out for her on the night he proposed. He chuckled as he remembered her tugging at the hem, and growling that she couldn't so much as bend at the waist without giving him a show. Saying that he wouldn't mind had earned him yet another lump on the head. _God I love that woman._

He wanted so badly to make this another night that she would remember forever. He wasn't a bad cook, maybe he could make her dinner. Knives had mentioned the fireplace too. That wasn't a half bad idea.

Meryl listened to the running water. Now was her chance. Vash had worked so hard to make the proposal one she would remember. Tonight she would return the favor. She picked out the most revealing nighty in Mira's closet and a silk robe. She wrapped them in a towel so that Vash wouldn't notice what she was taking into the bathroom. Then she rooted through Mira's vanity drawers for some good cosmetics and hair styling equipment. What are girlfriends for anyway? She gave an inward thanks to Mira and tried to stuff the many items into the towel as well.

"I'm done shor- I mean Meryl!" Vash yelled, "I'm going to start a fire while you get cleaned up. It's pretty chilly out here!"

"Okay, sounds great!" Meryl shouted back at him.

When she was sure he'd had enough time to leave the bathroom area completely she made a mad dash for it, hoping he wouldn't notice the sleeping bag sized towel she was clutching to her body to keep things from falling out of it. She closed the door behind herself and unrolled the towel on the countertop. She picked out some sugar and baby oil shower scrub, lavender shampoo and conditioner, and intimate perfume.

Vash had it all set up… About 30 minutes ago. What was taking her so long? He'd heard the shower turn off a while ago. Making a decent dinner from preserves had proven difficult. He couldn't find anything in the kitchen that was fresh and hadn't rotten while they were all away. After much creative scrounging and careful prep, his masterful creation was getting cold. He whined in spite of himself. Then he heard the bathroom door open.

"Hey," Vash said with a smile, "I was beginning to think the bathroom ate you."

"N-no," Meryl stuttered.

Vash noted that Meryl had not yet emerged from the bathroom. He blinked and asked, "Is something wrong? You didn't hurt yourself in there, did you?"

Meryl hid half behind the door like a scared five year old. She was a grown woman, and she had worked hard to make herself beautiful for this. Fresh shaved legs, a slight wave curled into her hair with a large curling iron, lotion, and perfume, and lace. She was ready! Now if only she could make herself move.

"Meryl?" Vash asked, now getting truly worried.

"I'm okay," Meryl said with a tremble in her voice, "I just -."

She trailed off. Now Vash was really worried, he got up and started for the bathroom. He was just about to turn the corner into the bathroom as he said, "Meryl, what is wrong? Are your all -."

Just then she stepped out in front of him and they both took a reflexive step back to avoid a collision. Vash froze and shivered as his eyes worked slowly up and down Meryl's dolled up body. Meryl blushed wildly and her hands defensively covered her chest. She started to turn away when Vash grabbed both of her wrists and pulled her back towards him.

"Don't," He choked out, "You look… Incredible."

"I," Meryl started, "I couldn't find anything that wasn't revealing, and-"

"Liar," Vash purred, "Come out into the living room. I have something for you too."

Meryl walked out with Vash into the living room and her breath caught at the sight. Plush blankets padded the floor and the whole room picked up the firelight. There were two plates of food and one of finger foods, next to two glasses of red wine.

"And that's not all!" Vash chimed in his best commercial voice.

He turned on a record player with a record called "Romantic Classic Piano", which filled the room with soft sweet music. He took her into his arms and began to dance. Meryl couldn't help but let herself be lead around, spun, and dipped, and cradled in his arms.

She was so light in his arms. She was so easy to hold, and in that outfit… Well, he was feeling less apprehensive by the moment. When the first song ended they sat down together, and fed each other. When they first started feeding each other it was more of a caring, loving gesture. However, after a few glasses of wine and once they reached the finger foods…

…..LAST WARNING! HERE COMES THE LEMON….

Meryl started it. When Vash was gently offering her a slice of preserved peach in cream syrup, Meryl snatched his hand to keep him from drawing it away from her. She slowly savored the slice of fruit and then savored every last drop of syrup on his fingers. He shivered visibly and gave her a dark hungry look.

So the battle began. Each partner tried to outdo the other with each sliver of fruit. When Meryl decided suckling on his fingers had gotten boring. She slid her lips down the palm of his hand and flicked her tongue across the inside of his wrist. Vash growled and pushed the plate of food out of the way.

"Hey," Meryl complained, "I was enjoying that!"

"Well," Vash said as he closed in on her, slowly pushing her to the ground beneath him, "I'm about to enjoy you."

Meryl's heart skipped a beat. Here it was again; that dark sexy side of Vash that surfaced only once before, the night he'd asked her to marry him. It was hard to believe such a goofy, shy person by day, could turn into a 'pinch me I'm dreaming' Romeo at night. She had to stop herself from giggling when she remembered the drawer filled with romance novels. She guessed she shouldn't be surprised; he had been 'studying'.

He looked down at her and smiled softly as he let the finger of his good hand slide along the neckline of the silk robe. His hand found the robe's tie and he said, "Beautiful, I can't wait to see what's under it."

Meryl reached up and captured his lower lip, nibbling it slightly as she whispered, "Then what's keeping you?"

"God, Meryl," Vash moaned, "You're killing me. I'm trying to make this slow and special."

"It will be special no matter how it happens, Vash," Meryl cooed, "Please, I've waited so long for this. Don't make me wait even longer."

Vash moaned with utter abandon and kissed her feverishly. Clothes were shed with typical Vash speediness between utterances of love, and fiery kisses in intimate locations. Finally Vash lay on top of her with nothing between them but the night air. He stopped, looking down at her, and took her in from head to toe. _She's so perfect…_

Meryl looked up at him in a daze. Why had he stopped? Just as the question was poised to escape her lips, he halted it with another bone-melting kiss. She moaned and arched up into him. As he kissed her lips and his hands blindly explored her body, she found herself falling more and more into an absolutely primal need. It was driving her absolutely mad.

Before she knew what she was doing she had pushed him over, and followed on top of him. There was no such thing as thinking anymore. Her body was operating on pure instinct. She positioned herself over him and slid down. She realized the brazen nature of her actions for just a moment before Vash's hands gripped her hips and he moaned, "Yes! Oh, Meryl!"

And she was lost again. They made love for hours, rolling over each other. Somehow they went from the floor, to the sofa, to a chair and back to the floor without skipping a beat. When the end came, they arrived together and collapsed in a tangled cocoon of blankets, sweat, and tussled hair. Vash breathed heavily, "I - never - knew - I -never- Oh Meryl. I love you."

"I love you too, Vash the Stampede," Meryl purred.

And they fell asleep like that, in each other's arms.

……………………………

Jackie: I hope it was worth waiting for. Don't forget that I promised you a surprise ending though, and that's coming up!


	37. Surprise Ending

Jackie: Well, it's coming to an end folks. I hope you have enjoyed the insanity. I won't be writing a new one for some time because I have LOTS of work to do, and simply won't have the time. Leave your author alerts on, and they'll let you know when I come back.

Wow look at all the reviews 'waves to the new reviewers'. 'waves to all the old reviewers too''sniff' I love you guys.

Hope… Do I really need to say it? I WILL find you and make you sit down and write.

Aine; Yes I LOVE Earl Grey, I can smell it brewing about a mile away. I discovered it while on vacation in England. A few months later Star Trek Next Generation came out and when I saw Captain Pickard order "Earl Grey, hot", I was a confirmed trekie; As if I wasn't already, though I've been having problems getting into the new stuff. Deep space nine and voyager just don't do it for me.

Kawaii; YES, YOU NEED TO UPDATE.

Needlenoggin; me thinks you are a bit biased, oh hubby mine.

More shout outs at the end.

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN TRIGUN.

Chapter 37;

…………………..

Months later….

Vash and Meryl sat on their front porch swing watching Knives and Mira play with the twins. Mira still had some difficulty using her injured arm, but having all the connective tissue rended from it will do that to a person. The doctors were pleased that she got to keep the arm at all. Occasionally, in spite of all Mira's insistence that it wasn't his fault, Knives would watch her struggle with the arm and frown deeply.

Nick and Millie were barbequing to the side of the house. Millie had insisted that Meryl stay off her feet, and Vash stay with Meryl. Since Mira and Knives had the twins to take care of, that left her and Nick to do the cooking. Vash smiled contentedly and lightly rubbed the swell of Meryl's pregnant belly. Meryl purred lightly at his caress, and cuddled up a little closer to him.

He was sure Knives would forgive himself in time. Mira hadn't thought twice about forgiving him. Knives had a beautiful wife, and wonderful kids. An added bonus was the completion of the plant factory. Soon they could start saving their race and transform the planet. Knives couldn't possibly brood forever with so many good things happening.

Vash looked around at all the life he'd created with Knives' coaching, and then looked down at the life he'd created with the woman he loved. It had been a long hard road, but he was beginning to think there was no place better than this desert planet. He cooed down at Meryl's stomach, "Hellllooooo, come out, come out, I want a turn to carry you."

Meryl jabbed Vash's ribs playfully and said, "Just one more month Vash, be patient."

Vash smiled and said, "I hope it looks just like you."

"I was thinking the opposite," Meryl smiled back at him.

"Yuck," Wolfwood said holding out two plates of food, "You two should go inside if you're going to keep up all that mushy stuff."

"But then we can't tell them," Millie whined.

"Tell us what?" Meryl asked.

"Millie is," Nick started.

"_I_ want to tell them!" Millie complained.

"Okay, okay," Wolfwood smiled, "Easy, big girl."

"I'm pregnant!" Millie nearly shouted.

"That's great," Vash said, "How are the orphans taking the news."

"Well," Wolfwood started, "They just arrived here, so it's one more big change they are having to try to get used to. Still, I think they are handling it pretty well."

"That's good," Meryl said, "So when?"

"In 8 or 9 months, like usual," Nick said lighting a cigarette, "SHE didn't marry a plant, so there's no short cuts for her."

Millie snatched the cigarette and said, "Now, now. You know that cigarette smoke is bad for the baby, darling."

"You mean babies, don't you, honey?" Nick teased, "Sextuplets right?"

Everyone laughed. In the end life was how it should be, like it always should have been. Or was it?

Knives looked out into the distance. What had become of Monique? The gung-ho-guns had fallen apart again, and she had disappeared. Was she pregnant? Mira had been knocked out when the others found out what Monique had tricked him into doing. He knew that some day he would have to find Monique, and if she had a child, he would have to take it from her. Would Mira be able to forgive him for what he didn't have the heart to tell her now? Would Mira be able to accept his child?

…………….

Monique clutched the baby's shoulders and pulled it the rest of the way out of her womb. She had been alone for the five months of her pregnancy. She had grown up alone, resurrected the gung-ho-guns alone, abducted and seduced a superior being alone, gave birth alone, and she would now raise the future ruler of the world alone.

She slicked back his red hair, cleaning off some the birth fluids and blood. He opened his penetrating deep blue eyes to peer up at her. She would make sure he was stronger than his father, without so much of a shred of mercy in him for the slime known as the human race. He would not be so easily swayed from her. He would not forget his purpose. She would make sure of that. He reached up to touch her face, and smiled.

So, in the end, there never really is an end. Life's events turn circles around us all. The end of one story is just the start of another.

…………………….

Jackie: TADA! What do you think of the surprise ending? I give anyone who is not profiting from it to use all my characters, just let me know so I can read it.

Vashluver1: glad you enjoyed it, but as a mom, SCHOOL COMES FIRST! Thanks for the great reviews, I might actually hit 200!

AnimeWerewolf, Heero-Ace, saraki, Eternal Sorrow: welcome! And thanks for reviewing.

Luvnotes: I wish I knew what that means. 'lmfao'?

Robert: you big sweetie, I always get such a kick out of your reviews.

Yo's girl; nope, he cast out the alternate pattern. Where you expecting me to change VASH? 'huddles protectively over him' perish the thought!

Tristam; 'blush blush' both of my fics?

Maria; 'directing you to the 'R' rating' yes, you should be careful while eating breakfast. I hope you kept it all down. ;)

I hope I didn't miss anyone! Lots-o-love! Cya next fic!


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